Nice To Meet You, Arnold
by miatorra
Summary: Takes place a week after TJM: Helga has become distant with Arnold, and he has no idea why. As he's beginning to see the real Helga again, an unexpected visitor arrives in Hillwood. Mix in a car accident, memory loss and a heartbroken but determined Arnold, and things are bound to get crazy! Rated T for mild romance scenes!
1. Chapter 1: You're a smart girl

**Authors Note: Hello everyone! This is my first ever fanfiction and I'm so excited to share it with you all! I watched TJM recently and I got inspired to write this story! If you haven't watched TJM yet, you should probably watch it before reading this story! I'll be referencing the movie multiple times, so get ready for spoilers! It'll be a multiple chapter story, so hang tight and I hope you enjoy! Feel free to leave a review and tell me what you think so far! We all know this, but I'll say it anyway, I do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters!**

It's been a week since the class came back from San Lorenzo. That's all anyone could talk about once school started again. Everyone was talking about how Arnold got his parents back and about the huge adventure that everyone survived. Of course, rumors spread about Arnold being some kind of God to the Green Eyes, but Arnold didn't really care. Rumors came and went, so he didn't really give it much thought. As Arnold got up for school, he heard his dad and grandpa talking in the kitchen. Arnold smiled from ear to ear, just from having a reminder that he finally had his parents back. He looked in his closet and decided to wear what he always wore: his plaid button up shirt, followed by his green shirt over it. He combed his hair and finished his look with his blue hat before making his way downstairs. The voices got even louder as he made his way to the kitchen table.

"How are you winning every game?! Are you pulling the wool over my eyes?" Grandpa said, eyeballing his son. Arnold's dad was sporting a smug grin as he shrugged.

"I would never, dad! I learned Checkers from the best, remember?" Arnold suppressed a laugh as he joined them at the table. Miles messed with Arnold's hair as he got up and walked towards the fridge.

"Would you like some pancakes, son?" Arnold nodded as he heard his stomach growl. His grandma came rushing in wearing an army uniform.

"Fill up, Tex! Full stomachs always lead to victory on the battlefield!" she exclaimed as she put a stack of blueberry pancakes in front of her grandson. Arnold smiled as he took a look at his grandma. Very unique and sometimes extreme, but he wouldn't change anything about her or his family. He looked down at the pancakes, the syrup glistening. He didn't waste any time in chowing down on them.

"Whoa whoa, slow down! What's the rush, Shortman?" Phil asked while putting up the Checkers board. Arnold gulped down a glass of milk as he finished his breakfast.

"I have to meet up with someone before school and I don't want to be late!" Arnold quickly got up from his chair, grabbed his backpack. He was making a beeline for the front door when he ran right into Stella. She had a smirk on her face that matched with her folded arms.

"Mhm. Tell Helga we said hello." Arnold blushed deeply from his mom's words. Things had changed between him and Helga since they returned from San Lorenzo. As much as he wanted to overlook the kiss they shared, it proved to be quite impossible. He knew that Helga loved him. It took a little bit of time to digest that, and even longer to embrace her feelings. I mean, they were still kids! What did any of them know about love? All he knew was Helga not only didn't hate him, but she cared or him deeply. She helped him get his parents back when all odds seemed stacked against them. He still remembers the look on her face as she handed him her heart-shaped locket. She looked terrified, yet hopeful that it could help break the sleeping curse. He also remembers how he felt her pulse quicken when he grabbed her hands, right before they shared a short but sweet kiss. They had yet to talk about what happened between them, but Arnold planned on changing that today.

If his mom would move out of the way of the door, that is.

"Yes! Do tell Eleanor that she is welcome back here anytime!" Gertie yelled from the kitchen. Arnold rolled his eyes as he yelled, "I will!" Stella bent down and gave him a kiss on the forehead before she stepped out of the way. With love filled goodbyes, Arnold made his way to the Pataki residence.

"Olga! Get your fanny out of bed right now!" Bob's voice bellowed from downstairs. Helga rolled over in bed and looked at her clock. She definitely slept in and she definitely did not care.

"I'm out of bed, Bob!" the lie easing out of her mouth. She slowly made her way out of her warm bed, towards her closet. She put on her pink dress and pink bow, same as every day. _I really need to update my wardrobe_ she thought as she grabbed her backpack. She jogged downstairs, towards the kitchen. Miriam was making smoothies in the blender, big surprise, when Helga plopped on a barstool.

"Goodmorning, Helga." Helga grabbed an apple from the bowl of fruit on the table. Better than a lunchbox with shaving cream.

"Morning Miriam." Helga mumbled as she took a bite of the granny smith apple. Even after all these years, her family still hadn't changed a bit. Big Bob lounging in his recliner watching Wheel of Fortune and Miriam trying and failing to cook some kind of breakfast concoction. She gave a small sigh as she leaped down from her seat. She didn't want to miss the bus so she started to gather her things to leave when she heard a knock on the door.

"Olga! Get the door!" Bob yelled from the living room. She stopped correcting her dad about her name a long time ago. He obviously was never going to get it right, so why waste her breath? Helga humphed and stomped toward the door.

"Sure, Bob! It's not like you were closer or anything!" Helga seethed as she swung the door open. She was expecting it to be Phoebe, which is why she breathed in a bit of her chewed up apple when she saw Arnold standing on her porch. After coughing a bit, she gathered herself and tried to not let her voice shake.

"Arnold! W-What're you doing here, Football head?" she said, her unibrow furrowed.

"Uhm Goodmorning to you too, Helga. I was hoping I'd catch you before the bus showed up. Could we talk outside?" Arnold gestured to her stoop. Helga felt her heart beat a million miles a minute. What could he want to talk about? Helga mentally smacked herself: of course she knew what he wanted to talk about. She just wasn't ready to talk about it. She replayed the kiss they shared in San Lorenzo over and over like her favorite movie. It made her palms sweat and her eyes twinkle just from the memory of it. When they returned to Hillwood, something definitely changed between her and Arnold. Since their return, Arnold seemed to want to spend more time with Helga. He tried holding her hand multiple times, but she snatched her hand away each and every time. She wanted to think that Arnold returned her feelings, but realistically she knew that he was only being affectionate out of gratitude for helping save his parents. She didn't want him to feel obligated to show her kindness now that he knew her true feelings. Helga rubbed her neck nervously. She couldn't exactly run away and she didn't have the heart to slam the door in his beautiful face. Plus, they rode the same bus. There was no way out.

"Uhm sure. Whatever floats your boat." she said nonchalantly. She made her way outside and closed the door. She made sure to let Arnold sit down first so she could sit a good distance away from him. Arnold clearly recognized her discomfort and wondered why she was on edge. Did she know what he wanted to talk about? If she did, why would she be nervous? He noticed how she wouldn't look at him in the eye and how she rang her hands together. She couldn't look more nervous if she was being interrogated for a murder. _No backing out now_ Arnold thought.

"So I felt like it was time to talk about... you know." Arnold rubbed his knees nervously. Helga suddenly contemplated just running down the street towards the school, but her legs felt like Jello and she glanced quickly at Arnold, who was patiently waiting on a reply.

"No, I don't know Football head. So spit it out." Helga knew exactly what he wanted to talk about, but she refused to bring it up first. She thought her heart was going to burst out of her chest. She hated being rude to him, especially now that the dust had settled and there was no going back on her confession. Arnold knew she loved him, so why put up a front?

 _To protect myself,_ Helga thought sadly. Arnold sighed.

"I think you do, Helga. You're a smart girl." Helga blushed from the compliment but refused to look at him. She was staring at the sidewalk like it was the most interesting thing ever. She could already hear the rejection now:

 _I really like you Helga, but the kiss we had in San Lorenzo wasn't.. what you believe it to be. I like you, but I don't like-like you. But we can stay friends!_ Helga felt her stomach drop just from the thought.

"Do we have to talk about it?" Helga mumbled. She had been caught and there was no other option but to deal with it. She tightened her fists, her fingernails biting into her palms. Arnold nudged himself closer to Helga and she felt her skin go numb.

"Helga, I understand that what happened in San Lorenzo was... intense. But ever since we returned, you haven't said three sentences to me. You haven't even picked on me. You won't look at me in class, you avoid me when we pass each other in the hallway. I just don't understand what I did wrong." Arnold finished with sadness in his voice. Helga felt her throat get thick. All she wanted to do was embrace him and assure him that he did nothing wrong. But she couldn't. All she could do was blink the tears away and stare at her feet.

"You did nothing wrong. We're back home so everything is back to normal." Helga couldn't help but sound how she felt: defeated. If anyone did anything wrong, it was her! She shouldn't have even told him her true feelings.

 _But would we have still been able to save Arnold's parents if I hadn't?_

As that thought shot through her mind, Arnold quickly grabbed her hand and held on tight so she couldn't snatch it away. That made Helga look him in the eyes and suddenly she couldn't be more stuck if she was in quicksand.

"But everything is not normal, Helga. You know that and I know that. Shoot, even Gerald and Phoebe know that. We can't just forget what happened." Arnold said calmly. Helga felt panic rise in her chest. What did he want from her? A confession? An apology? An explanation as to why she bullied him all these years? She wasn't even sure if she could put her reasoning into words with that last one.

"What do you want me to say?" Arnold rubbed the top of her hand with his thumb gently. Helga was about to explode if he didn't stop looking at her that way.

"The truth." Those words rang in Helgas ears like alarms. She wanted this conversation to be over. She felt like she was trapped in a cage with no way out. As if on cue, the school bus was making its way down the street. She looked at Arnold, who was pleading with his emerald eyes. She knew he deserved the truth. He deserved nothing less. Her time to hide was over. Now it was time for karma to snatch her for all of the horrible things she has ever said to him. She had to lay all her cards on the table because she had no more aces up her sleeve and no way to back out. She squeezed Arnold's hand gently and she could've sworn he squeezed back.

"I'll say this once, and then it's done and over." she reluctantly took back her hand before the bus got closer. "I love you, Arnold. I've always loved you and always will. But you don't have to fake feelings for me just because you feel obligated to. I didn't help save your parents for the reward of your affection. I did it because your happiness means more to me than my own." Helga felt a tear escape, which she quickly wiped away with the back of her hand. She looked away and mumbled, "It always has."

Arnold felt gutted. Did she really think that? Helga looked back at him with sorrow in her blue eyes and all Arnold wanted to do was hug her and convince her that she was wrong.

"Helga, that's not-" Arnold was interrupted with the school bus pulling up. Helga slightly shook her head and whispered, "It's ok." She got up and made her way on the bus. Arnold followed behind, his eyes never leaving the ground.

 **Alright! What do you think? This won't be a supernatural kind of story, just what I pictured happening once everyone returned home. Plus some added tragedy and adventure of course! Leave a review and let me know what you all think! Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2: Poems and Poets

**Two chapters in one day? I'm on a roll! :D I've already received some reviews and I couldn't be more grateful! I've always loved writing and had a soft spot for ArnoldxHelga so this story really means a lot to me:) In this chapter, I'm mentioning a poetry book that is 100% real! I met the author and got him to sign the book that is mentioned! If you enjoy poetry of any kind, you should check him out! But in later chapters, you'll get to read two special poems of his ;) Well, enough blabbering! Onto Chapter 2!**

Arnold took his seat next to Gerald towards the back of the bus. He glanced up at Helga, who of course sat next to Phoebe. Gerald patted him on the back to get his attention.

"Hey man! Why the long face?" Arnold looked at Gerald, who was clearly worried and confused. Arnold was still trying to wrap his brain around what Helga just told him. Why does she believe that he's faking his affection towards her? He kissed her in San Lorenzo partially for being so thankful to Helga, he could admit that, but mostly he did it because it felt right. It was the first time that he felt he had seen the real Helga. Not the bully that throws spitballs at him or calls him names. He saw true vulnerability in her eyes and all he wanted to do was comfort her, tell her that he was going to be there for her.

"I'll tell you later." Arnold more or less whispered, his eyes glued to a certain pink bow. Gerald just shrugged.

"Alright. Hey, did you study for the Algebra test today?" Arnold felt relieved that he had changed the subject and didn't press him.

"Yeah. Seemed a little difficult, but I'm pretty sure I'll make a good grade. What about you?" Arnold noticed a slight red come up on Geralds' cheeks.

"Eh, I didn't study that much. I was on the phone with Phoebe until almost midnight." Arnold put on a knowing smile, but he couldn't help but feel a little envious of his best friend. He wished he could talk on the phone with Helga, or hang out with her, or even just have a decent conversation with her. Instead, she avoids him like the plague. Now he was even more upset because Helga basically rejected him, even though she admitted that she still loves him. Arnold knew that he couldn't call his feelings for her 'love', but he knew he at least like-liked her. He just wanted to explore these new feelings and he wanted to do that with Helga.

"I'm happy for you Gerald. You and Phoebe are really good for each other." Gerald beamed at the compliment.

"Thanks, man. Speaking of, how're you and your lady?" Gerald nudged his head in the direction of Helga and Phoebe. Arnold couldn't help but frown.

"Not so good." Arnold hunched his shoulders a bit from being so bummed. So much for changing the subject. Geralds smile quickly faded.

"What do you mean? Didn't she-" Gerald looked around for anybody listening in "-didn't she tell you that she loved you?" he whispered. Arnold felt a slight pang in his chest as he briskly nodded.

"She did. But she doesn't believe that me and her should be together." Gerald looked at Arnold like he had grown a second head. It was no secret that Gerald wasn't a part of the Helga Fanclub, but he told Arnold on the airplane ride back home that whatever made Arnold happy, he was cool with. Arnold understandably had to explain a lot to Gerald after he witnessed his and Helgas 'moment'. Gerald was floored at first, but by the time they got back to Hillwood, color returned to his face and he seemed a bit more understanding.

"And just like during history class, you've lost me." Arnold gave him a look that read 'trust me, I know'. The bus stopped. They had arrived at P.S. 118. Arnold adjusted his backpack as he stood up.

"I'll explain later." Gerald followed behind Arnold as they made their way off the bus.

"Mmm mmm mmm. Women." Arnold gave a short chuckle. Gerald always had a way of making him smile, even when he felt lower than dirt.

"I can't believe you told him that, Helga!" Phoebe scolded. Helga had told her best friend everything that was said on her stoop before the bus pulled up, and she clearly did not approve of Helga's decision. Phoebe was indeed proud that Helga hadn't at least swept her feelings under a rug, and even went so far as to repeat her confession to Arnold, but she was furious that she basically rejected Arnold's attempt at connecting with her. Helga stopped at her locker to switch out her books.

"Pheebz, I didn't really have a choice! What was I going to do? Throw my arms around him and beg him to be with me, even though I know he doesn't want to? Helga G Pataki never begs for anything." Phoebe glared at the blonde girl as she closed her locker. Phoebe remembers how Helga basically tackled her with the news of how Arnold had initiated a kiss with her. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen Helga so happy.

"Helga, did it ever occur to you that maybe Ar-" she stopped herself, glancing around the crowded hallway, "-ice cream like likes you back?" Helga gave a genuine laugh. The thought of Arnold having even a fraction of the same feelings was a pipe dream.

"Not in a million years. What happened between us was nothing but gratitude from his end. How could he have any romantic feelings for me?" Helga couldn't help but have pity leak in her voice a bit. It would be so easy to believe that he wanted her just as she wanted him, but she couldn't do that to herself. The rejection would be more than she could handle. When the kiss first happened, she reacted as anyone else would! She instantly began picturing her and Arnold's wedding, their entire future together and so on. Eventually, Helga realized though that he didn't kiss her at a random time. He didn't show up to her door with flowers and plant one on her on a regular Tuesday. He had just found his parents for crying out loud! If Princess Rhonda herself was there, he probably would've kissed her too out of pure adrenaline. Helga just happened to be at the perfect place at the perfect time. Phoebe walked beside her as they made their way to the classroom.

"Just please don't shut him out. Give him a chance." Phoebe pleaded. Helga rolled her eyes but didn't say no immediately. Of course, there was a tiny bit of her that still had hope. She hated it fiercely, but after so many years yearning for her Football headed love God, how could she not have a bit of hope? As she walked past the hallway that veered to her left, she felt someone collide right into her. Instead of falling to the ground, she felt two arms grab her around her waist, keeping her feet on the ground. She opened her eyes and looked into two sparkling green eyes. She could've melted on the spot.

"Are you ok, Helga?" Arnold asked, lifting her up and easing his hold on her, but not letting go completely. Helga's tongue was in knots, so she briskly nodded in reply. Arnold gave her a small knowing smile.

"You should be more careful next time. Wouldn't want you to get hurt." Arnold purposefully glided his hand around her waist gently as he let her go. He swore he could see Helga's pulse quicken just from the artery in her neck. Arnold hated to admit this but he enjoyed seeing Helga squirm, just because of a simple touch from him. He vaguely remembered how she acted all skittish once he placed a hand on her shoulder, thanking her for making the video that won them the San Lorenzo contest. He didn't know it then, of course, but since he realized that she really did have feelings for him, he couldn't help but have a little fun. He looked into her eyes and could almost see the wheels turning in her head through her blue eyes. Sure, there was panic in there as well, but Arnold for once wasn't feeling guilty.

"Maybe you should watch where you're going next time, paste for brains!" Helga exclaimed and quickly made her way past Arnold, rushing into the classroom. Gerald shook his head while Phoebe gave a disappointing sigh. Gerald took a quick glance at the Japanese girl and with a smile, he held out his hand. Phoebe giggled as she happily accepted. Arnold watched as his best friend and Phoebe walk hand in hand down the hallway. Arnold followed behind, sporting a triumphant grin.

"Goodmorning, class!" Mr. Simmons exclaimed as everyone took their seats. A monotone "Goodmorning Mr. Simmons" rang through the air. Arnold inconspicuously looked to his left and noticed that Helga now sat behind Phoebe instead of behind him. He couldn't help but feel slightly hurt that she would go as far as to move seats. She had sat behind him for as long as he could remember. Arnold put his head in his hands, pulling his eyes up front towards the blackboard.

"I have a really exciting assignment for everyone! I realized that we haven't really had an in-depth look into poetry and how it can speak to one's self, so that's changing this week! I'm passing out this book of poems called "In Which Language Do I Keep Silent" by Earl Sherman Braggs. I want each of you to find a poem in this book that speaks to you, and write a detailed analysis of it!" Everyone in the class groaned as Mr. Simmon passed out the books. Poetry certainly wasn't the most popular topic to teach in the class, but there were a few students who didn't mind it. Helga felt a small giddiness swell inside her as she looked through the book. She already found a few she liked and was actually looking forward to this assignment, for a change.

"Oh! And you'll be reading the poem and a short summary of your analysis in front of the class as well!" With that added to the project, Helga felt her heart crash. She didn't want to read poetry in front of the class! Especially any of her opinions about it! This was a nightmare come to life and she showed that by moaning while putting her face on her desk. Arnold heard Helgas groan and decided to sneak a peek at her. She had her head laid on the desk, the open poetry book in between. Why did she look so bummed? If what he knew about her was true, she should be excited about a poetry assignment. Mr. Simmons clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. Arnold whipped his head forward before Helga begrudgingly lifted her head ever so slightly.

"Now don't be so blue about this! The point of this assignment is to find something that speaks to you! Whether it be a reminder of a nice memory or even bring up emotions of any kind!" Arnold felt his stomach turn into knots just by the thought of doing this assignment. Usually, he had no problem with any projects in Mr. Simmons class. Arnold wasn't too good at poetry though, remembering the poems he wrote about his substitute teacher. He shuddered visibly. Gerald leaned over towards Arnold while Mr. Simmons tried to cheer everyone up.

"This is so bogus man! I know nothing about poetry!" Gerald folded his arms and looked at the book as if it was broccoli. Arnold couldn't help but give a small giggle. At least he wouldn't be the only one to struggle with this. Arnold shoved the book in his backpack as he tried to think positive.

"To be honest, neither do I Gerald. But it can't be that hard! We've had worse projects." Gerald gave a dramatic sigh in return. He roughly put the book in his own backpack.

"I don't know, Arnold. This one really bites." Arnold couldn't really argue with him on that one, so he kept silent. He risked another glance back at Helga, who had begun reading the book intensely. Arnold always admired that about Helga, whether he had realized it before or not. She put on a tough cookie exterior, but if anyone were to put the time and effort into trying to know Helga, the real Helga, they would see that she was an intellectual amongst the class. Especially with literature and poetry, she seemed to lose herself in it. Arnold couldn't help but notice how her brow furrowed as she deciphered the poems hidden meaning. She even bit her bottom lip slightly when she got frustrated, which Arnold honestly hadn't noticed until now. It made him wonder what other things he didn't know about Helga, which made him want to know her all the more. Class continued but Arnold for once didn't really pay attention. He couldn't stop thinking about poetry and poets.

 **Thank you to everyone reading this so far! I've already gathered up everything I want to happen in this story and by the looks of it, it'll most likely be over 20 or maybe 30 chapters long O.O But I don't want to rush the development between Arnold and Helga. Realistically, they wouldn't go back home and immediately be a happy loving couple. Helga clearly proved that when she yanked her hand away at the end of TJM. I can't wait to see how this story progresses and see what everyone thinks of it:) Thank you!**


	3. Chapter 3: Page 135

**Here it is! Chapter 3! So I had someone inbox me and told me something that some stories have that she has read that had irritated her, so I decided to clear up something about this specific story! No, Arnold and Helga will not have sex in this story. Intense making out? Perhaps!(; But nothing graphic will be presented. They are 11 years old! And if I ever write a story where they're intimate, they will be teenagers! (16-18 years old). Anyways, onto Chapter 3!**

Arnold sat at his desk in his room, staring blankly at this stupid poetry book. He had read through so many poems, but none of them spoke to him like Mr. Simmons claimed. He grunted and put his head on his desk in frustration. Why couldn't he be good at this? He was smart when it came to Math, Science, even History! Literature was a whole other ballpark for him. He had read romance poems before when he had his crushes on Ruth and Lila and even wrote some when he liked Mrs. Felter. For some reason, he had a difficult time emotionally connecting to poetry. How did Helga do it? He groaned in distress now that Helga had wormed her way into his thoughts again. He was sure Helga could help him on this if she would speak to him! As he began to give up, he heard a gentle knock on his door.

"Who is it?" Arnold depressingly muffled out. Whoever it was let themselves in, as he heard his door squeak open and footsteps approaching. He lifted his head and craned his neck to see his grandfather standing beside him. He really wasn't in the mood for conversation right now, but he couldn't exactly tell his grandpa to "get out". I mean, he could, but he had a feeling that it would be frowned upon.

"Why the long face, Shortman? School not going so good?" Arnold put his head in his hand as he clicked his ink pen. Phil got a chair and sat in it backwards, facing the troubled kid.

"Grandpa, do you know anything about poetry?" Phil put a hand to his jaw while deep in thought. Arnold's eyes twinkled and he suddenly became hopeful that maybe his grandfather can help him with this daunting homework assignment. He had never known his grandfather to write poetry, but he also didn't know that he was a master at checkers until a few years ago.

"I wrote your grandma a few poems when we were kids. Nothing well written I might add." Phil gave out a chuckle as Arnold lifted his face to the ceiling in despair. He was doomed. Phil cocked his head in curiosity.

"Why? Are you writing your little friend with the one eyebrow a poem?" Phil asked, leaning in close to his grandson. Arnold gave a harsh laugh at that. If he wrote Helga a poem she would probably spitball it back at him. His frown deepened at the thought of it. He knew that Helga wouldn't do that. Not now, after everything that had been said between them. He had to continuously remind himself that Helga did still deeply care about him. She just wasn't ready to let down her walls and be open to everyone.

To be honest, Helga had every right to be protective of herself. Everyone knew her to be the tough Helga G Pataki. What would everyone think if they strolled into school holding hands? Rhonda would be texting everyone that Helga had gone soft and Harold would have a field day with the teasing. He didn't want Helga to go through that, and of course, neither did he. If he could just talk to her, surely they could come up with something! Arnold just wanted to march over to her apartment and demand for them talk. He had a funny feeling though that it would only result in a door being slammed in his face. His mind came back to his bedroom when his grandma popped in with a plate of mashed potatoes, green beans, a roll and a pork chop.

"Oh! If you're writing poetry to Eleanor, don't get writing advice from him. He wrote me a poem back when we were kids that was so awful, I laughed for hours!" Arnold couldn't help but smile, noticing his grandpa blush from being embarrassed like that. As he was about to let them know that it was a school project, Phil stood up and stomped his foot, interrupting his wife cackling.

"Pookie, we were 12! What 12 year old can write good poetry?" Arnold let the words fall from his mouth before he could stop himself.

"Helga can." Gertie and Phil both looked at Arnold, then looked at each other, both sharing a knowing look. The eccentric woman placed the plate at Arnold's desk, giving him a peck on the head. Arnold gave her a small smile.

"I'm not surprised, Tex. Sweet dreams!" Gertie said as she left, closing the door behind her. Phil shook his head and grumbled to himself incoherently as he sat back down.

"So. Having trouble putting feelings to paper, huh?" Arnold pushed the dinner plate away, suddenly losing his appetite.

"No grandpa. It's a homework assignment that Mr. Simmons gave us today. We have to find a poem in this book that 'speaks to us' or whatever and write an analysis on it. I've gone through this book so many times and nothing is speaking to me! In fact, this book couldn't be more silent..." Arnold trailed off as he looked at the title of the book.

 _"In Which Language Do I Keep Silent"_

He suddenly got an idea as he began to search through the index at the beginning of the book. Phil gave out a 'hmm' as he watched Arnold flip pages hastily. Finding what he was looking for, he let out a victorious "Aha!" There was a poem that had the same name as the title! The actual poem that the book was named after! Arnold knew that the title of the book drew him in, but he had no idea that it was also a poem in the book itself! Arnold began to read the poem, Phil reading over his shoulder as well. Arnold felt sweat bead on his forehead when he realized what, or who, he was thinking about as he read. He couldn't believe it. Phil smiled complacently as he slowly straightened out his back. His back popped like popcorn, which brought Arnold back to reality.

"I don't think you need my help, Shortman. Seems to me that you've found what you're looking for." Phil placed a hand on Arnold's shoulder. Arnold bookmarked the page and got up from his chair.

"Yeah, the poem is perfect for my assignment!" Arnold felt so relieved that, what he believed to be, the hardest part of the assignment was over. Now all he had to do was write about the meaning behind the poem! Phil chuckled as he picked up Arnold's untouched dinner and made his way to the door.

"I wasn't talking about the poem, Arnold." That made him stop in his tracks. What did he mean then, if he hadn't meant the poem?

 _Seems to me that you've found what you're looking for..._

Arnold shrugged it off. It was late and was too exhausted to analyze anything anymore. He changed into his PJs quickly as Phil was about to close the door. Arnold crawled into bed as Phil turned off the lights.

"Goodnight Shortman."

"Goodnight grandpa." Arnold said with a yawn. As the lights cut out and the door was shut, Arnold sat up and picked up his pen and paper from his shelve by his bed, and began to write. As he was writing, he couldn't fight his thoughts going back to the blonde girl that had pushed him out of his life. He quickly came up with an idea, that left him chewing his bottom lip nervously. He could already hear Gerald say "You're a bold kid, Arnold" as he reached for his phone.

Meanwhile, at the Pataki residence, Helga was having equally a difficult time finding a poem of her own. She laid in bed reading every poem that caught her attention. Frustrated, she picked up the phone and dialed Phoebe's number. If Phoebe can't help her, she was destined to fail. It rang only once before she heard her best friends voice.

"Hello, Helga!" Helga flipped through pages while she began to vent.

"Hey Pheebz, have you found a poem for this assignment yet? I've looked through this book since it was handed to me and I can't find one good enough! I mean criminey, how many poems does this Earl guy have to write?" Helga grumbled as she slammed the book shut and tossed it aside towards the edge of the bed. Phoebe gave out a small chuckle.

"Helga, how many poems have _you_ written?" Helga could hear the cheekiness through the phone. She took a breath to rebuttal but knew she had no argument. She let out the air in her lungs in a long sigh.

"Ok, point taken." Phoebe laughed a little harder at calling Helga out. Helga was never comfortable letting anyone know about her many volumes of poems that she had written throughout her life, but Phoebe was the one exception. Phoebe had always known what, or _who,_ Helga's muse was so she felt pretty comfortable with her best friend sneaking a peek here and there at her poems. Phoebe had always been there for Helga, through her sleepwalking spells that lead to Arnold's house and even when she thought she was dying. Phoebe was the one solid thing in Helga's rocky life.

"I actually found the perfect poem for me!" Phoebe said happily. Helga couldn't help but mock her, making her voice high pitched and whiney. What? She was her best friend, she had every right to poke fun at her!

"Well la-de-da for you Miss. School-Is-So-Easy-For-Me." Helga retorted. Phoebe didn't reply right away and Helga could suddenly hear her flip through the pages of her own book. Right when she was about to ask what was with the silent treatment, Phoebe gasped.

"What? Spit it out, Phoebe!" Helga's curiosity was eating at her like crazy. What in the world did Phoebe find in that 5-second silence?

"I found the perfect poem for you, Helga! Go to page 135!" Helga's eyes grew large as she flung herself across her bed to reach her book. She got to page 135 and started reading. She felt her insides melt and her heart swell. Her palms began to sweat as she finished reading. This was one of the most beautiful poems she had ever read! How did she miss this one? She re-read it, knowing full well that Phoebe was patiently waiting on a reply. Could she read this to the class? What's more, could she give her honest opinion about it? As if Phoebe could hear her thoughts, she interjected.

"Helga, you can't argue that the poem is perfect for you. For once, don't be afraid of the other kids and their opinions. I know you'll have no problem doing this assignment if you choose this poem." Phoebe was right. Helga couldn't argue with her assumption. The poem was perfect. It was every bit as beautiful and touching as she strived for her poems to be. Slight jealousy crept into her at the thought that she could never write anything this amazing. She really could ace this assignment if she used this poem. What about the presentation though? Would others realize who this poem reminded her of after reading it? Would she be so embarrassed that she wouldn't be able to finish her reading? She felt the bile rise in her throat just at the thought of someone laughing at her while she read this. While she knew all she had to do was shake Ole Betsy at the idiot who did laugh, she also knew this would be a different kind of embarrassment. Reading this poem would definitely make her feel vulnerable in front of her entire class. Could she handle that? Helga held her breath as she put her bookmark on page 135.

"I gotta go, Phoebe. I have an analysis to write." Helga swore she heard Phoebe smile through the phone if that was at all possible.

"As do I. Goodnight Helga!"

"Night Pheebz." Helga hung up the phone, grabbed her notebook and a purple glitter pen and began to write. After about 15 minutes of writing, her phone started to ring. She picked it up and held the phone in the crook of her neck.

"Phoebe, I've already started writing and I'm on a roll so this better be good." It was silent for a little bit until she heard a cough on the other end of the line.

"Hello? Helga?" Helga almost dropped the phone. It was Arnold.

"Arnold? What're you doing calling me this late?" Helga dropped her pen caused by her hands shaking. Why in the world is Arnold calling her? She took a glance at her clock and the bright red numbers read 8:37 p.m. Whatever the reason, it obviously couldn't wait until tomorrow. She began to panic when she realized that he probably wanted to talk about what happened this morning on her stoop. She wasn't ready to talk about that now, if ever!

"Sorry to bother you! I was hoping I wasn't waking you, but apparently, you're working on your poetry assignment." Helga felt her mouth go dry.

 _Oh my beloved! You could wake me up in the middle of the night just to say hello and I wouldn't be the least bit upset! I would go for days with no sleep if it meant I got to hear your angelic voice!_

"Doi, I'm not asleep Football head! You're lucky I wasn't though." Helga threw out the empty threat. Arnold and she both knew that she would never physically hurt him.

"Whatever you say, Helga. Uhm, the reason I called was to see if you wanted to meet me at Mighty Pete? I can't sleep and was wanting to get some fresh air. I thought maybe you'd like to join me?" Arnold finished with a tiny crack in his voice. If Helga was standing she would've fallen to her knees. Why did he want her to join him? She also knew that if he wanted fresh air, he could've gone to the roof through the window above his bed. Why all the way across town to Mighty Pete? She heard him clear his voice and realized that she hadn't said anything.

"What's in it for me, Arnaldo?" Arnold paused and thought carefully about his response. A smile stretched on his face when he knew the perfect answer. It was risky, but when talking to Helga, everything was.

"Well, you get to see me and I get to see you. It's a win-win." Helga felt tingles go from her toes to her head. Was he _flirting_ with her? Hadn't she made it perfectly clear that he needed to forget about her and move on? Helga didn't deserve his good heart, nor his flirting! As much as she wanted to hang up on him, her fingers wouldn't let her. She took a shaky breath.

"Whatever Football head. Meet me in one hour and if you're one minute late you'll be pulling spitballs out of your hair for a month!" Helga said in a rush and hung up before he could respond. Arnold felt his chest become lighter. She actually said yes?! He really didn't think she would, but now that she had, he became riddled with nerves. What would he say to her? Should he bring his poetry book and say that it was a simple homework get together? He hung up the phone and quickly jumped from the bed, putting on a white shirt and his green jacket.

He still didn't know what he was going to say, but he would figure it out once he saw her. He left, closing his bedroom door quietly. His poetry book lay abandoned on his desk.

 **Arnold and Helga, sitting in a tree! ;D I'm honestly having too much fun writing this lol I went through the entire poetry book and the poems I chose for both of them seemed to be perfect! I've already started writing the next chapter and it's very fluffy, so be prepared for that! Thank you again for reading and leaving reviews! 3**


	4. Chapter 4: That Sounds Perfect

**I present to you, Chapter 4! :3 You guys, I had to** ** _really_** **control myself because honestly, I wanted so much more to happen. All in good time though! This chapter is all about the beginning of the development that is Arnold and Helga's epic romance! I hope you enjoy, and if you did, make sure to leave a review! Have any "scene" suggestions? Let me know and I'll see if perhaps I can't work it in at some point ;)**

Helga tried to gather herself before she had to face Arnold. The cool breeze bit at her face, making her cheeks slightly pink. She had on loose black PJ bottoms, a black shirt, and her purple jacket. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Mighty Pete, just down the street. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Arnold climb up the rope ladder, crawling into the treehouse. For a split second, she considered turning around and going back home. Anything Arnold had to say, at this hour, surely couldn't be good. Then again, she hadn't really given him a chance to talk to her during the day either. She honestly just wanted everything to go back to normal, her teasing everyone and Arnold not being any the wiser of her secret feelings. Even though she had wanted his attention for so long, her inner demons couldn't help but remind her that the kiss wouldn't have happened if she hadn't helped save his parents. She sighed nervously as she made her feet move towards the titanic tree. She had to remind herself that no matter what is said in that treehouse, no matter how embarrassed she becomes, she knew she would go through it all a million times if it still meant Arnold had his parents. Her happiness meant nothing when in comparison with Arnold's. She approached the tree, folded her arms and put her scowl up.

"Hellooo? You better be here, Football head!" Helga played dumb. She heard Arnold rustle up above her, leaning over the edge.

"Up here, Helga! Come on up!" Helga felt her ears go hot and her knees knock. She straightened her shoulders and climbed up the tree. When she finally got up, Arnold was sitting on the floor next to the window. He had no backpack, no books, nothing. If Helga had any doubt that he wanted to talk, it vanished. She had to put on a brave face for this. She inwardly prepared her heart and soul for the inevitable pain that would surely follow. Didn't she deserve it though? She had bullied this sweet boy for years, and he didn't deserve any of it. She knew she deserved Arnold to shut her down coldly. She just wasn't sure if she could handle seeing so much hatred in his eyes for her. She slowly walked over to him and sat across from him, a good 3 feet away.

"I'm sorry for you to be out this late. I just uh.." Arnold felt like there were marbles in his mouth.

"What, Arnaldo? This better be good!" Helga crossed her arms and forced a glare. It took extra effort to not look terrified.

"Look. I know you don't want to talk about what happened in San Lorenzo, but we can't just ignore what happened between us." Helga opened her mouth to speak but Arnold held up a hand to silence her.

"Before you say anything, let me get this off my chest." Arnold paused to get his bearings. Helga was sure she now looked like a deer caught in headlights. She braced herself while he took a breath, and met her eyes.

"I'll admit it. I never thought in a million years that you would ever like me, much less..." Arnold gulped. "..l-love me. But after everything you did for me and my family, there was no way I could ignore it! I couldn't chalk it up to 'the heat of the moment'. Not this time. You went through so much trouble to make that video for the contest. Y-You encouraged me to not give up when we were all locked up and everyone else was mad at me, even Gerald! I felt like not only had I lost my friends, but I had lost my parents forever. Then you swooped in and reminded me that everything would be ok. You helped defeat LaSombra when he had a knife to my throat! I honestly can't think of many people who would do that. You were so brave, and you did it because..well. Because you loved me, Helga. You cared about me enough to put your own life in jeopardy, just to make sure I was safe. After you had given me your locket to break the Sleeping Curse, it was like I was seeing you for the first time. A rush of emotions flooded through me that I couldn't hold back. I had my parents back, my friends were saved, and... perhaps... at the moment, I did kiss you mostly from adrenaline and just being thankful for what you did for everyone. For me."

Helga could feel her eyes water, her whole body numb from shock. Arnold was being so incredibly sweet to her, it was like a dream. She knew though that he was about to reject her. In the nicest way possible, mind you, but she still felt shattered. She kicked herself for ever thinking that he would do it harshly. She knew Arnold didn't have a mean bone in his body, even when it came to a witch like her. She couldn't speak even if someone had a gun to her head. All she could do was nod. Arnold scooted closer to Helga, grabbing one of her hands that had made it's way to her knees at some point. She knew her palm had to be cold and clammy, but Arnold still held it with both hands. Not too tight, but with enough grip that she felt the conviction in this action. His thumb ever so gently caressing her knuckles. He had a small smile on his face, his eyes half closed. Right now, him holding her hand was the only thing keeping her on earth.

"I never thought I'd see the day that I would witness Helga G. Pataki go silent." Helga couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, which was more like a rush of air that had escaped her lungs.

"Helga, the reason I wanted to talk to you tonight was because.. I needed to tell you something that you need to hear. Ok?" Helga felt her bottom lip quiver.

 _Here it is._

"Helga. I may not love you like you love me, but I can't deny that I have some sort of feelings for you. Feelings that go beyond a friendly level." Helga's eyes grew wide as dinner plates. Did he just..?

"I'm so sorry that I can't give you the same love you have for me, but if you'd like, I'd want us to be friends and just see where it goes. After _everything_ you've done for me, the least I can give you is a chance. If you would want to, that is?" Arnold was so nervous, but he never let up his hold on her hand. He needed to get this out in the open. He needed for her to hear how he felt. Even if she outright rejected him, at least he could sleep well knowing that he gave it his all. What Helga said next shocked him to his core.

"I'd want nothing more than that." Helga couldn't speak above a whisper, afraid that her voice would crack. Was she dreaming? Was this actually happening? Arnold actually like-likes her?! After all of the mean things she has said to him over the years, he actually wanted to connect with her? Before she could stop herself, she continued.

"You have no idea how hard it's been to keep this secret, Arnold. B-But I had no choice! I have a reputation, ya know! If any of the other kids found out that I was in love, with _you_ of all people, I'd get ridiculed out of town! I'd never be able to show my face again. I know you didn't deserve all of the teasing, but I had to protect myself!" Helga started to freak out from simply picturing it happening.

Arnold couldn't help but slightly pity Helga, hearing the rushed fear in her voice. He knew what she was saying was the truth. As long as he'd known Helga, she'd been the tough cookie of the group. He knew no one else would believe that she could have the ability to have real feelings. He knew that was ridiculous though, even way before he learned of her feelings for him. Helga was only human after all, and of course she had the same feelings as everyone else. He somewhat knew of her dysfunctional home life, and he could absolutely understand if that played a part in why she put up walls around herself.

"Helga, you don't have to explain yourself. I know that you did it because you were afraid of what others would do or say to you. I'm here to tell you though that you don't have to be that way. I can see that you're an intelligent and caring person. Not just to me, but I've seen it with Phoebe as well. You have a huge heart Helga, and you shouldn't be afraid of showing it. You should embrace it." Arnold's eyes held so much compassion and support, that it nearly made Helga faint. Those green eyes were the only thing that Helga could focus on.

 _Arnold just said that I have a huge heart! Oh my beloved, how kind you are to someone like me!_

She wanted to swoon and wrap him in her arms, but then she remembered what he said. He didn't love her back. Sure he like-liked her, but he wanted to take things slow. She didn't want to spook him, so she restrained herself and decided to cover his hand with hers instead. She couldn't form the words "Thank you", so that small gesture would have to do. Arnold gave her a small smile in return, showing that he was hearing her loud and clear. They sat in a comfortable silence for what seemed like hours, when it was really about 5 minutes. A hoot from a nearby owl brought them both back to reality.

"So.." Helga said, bringing her hand back, rubbing her neck awkwardly. Where did this leave them? Arnold made it clear that he wasn't ready for them to date yet, and even though Helga was slightly disappointed, she completely understood. She had to give him time to let his feelings grow stronger. She had to admit that she was scared that Arnold basically had the reigns of this new found relationship between them, but she had to be brave and let him take control for once.

"So." Arnold put out a nervous laugh.

"Do you uh, just want to start off small? Sitting with each other at lunch and doing homework together?" Helga proposed, twiddling her thumbs.

"Yeah! That sounds perfect."

"Yeah, perfect. Well um, I better get back home. School in the morning and all." Arnold realized that they had been in Mighty Pete for a good hour.

"Oh yeah! Me too." They both climbed down the tree together, looking at each other.

"So what? Do we uh, hug or shake hands?" Helga was stepping around eggshells with this new relationship between her and Arnold. What if she did or said the wrong thing and scared him off? She had come so close to winning him over, she couldn't ruin it now. Arnold smiled at seeing her so frazzled. She looked so adorable when she was nervous. How come he never noticed that before? He knew that he wanted to take things slow, but right now all he wanted to do was give her a hug. He might not have been ready to kiss her like she did when they saved the neighborhood, but he could still show that he cared about her in other ways.

"We can hug if you'd like, Helga. I don't mind." She bit her tongue to prevent her from saying something like "Not a chance, Bucko!" Instead, she moved closer to him and gently wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She could've died when she felt his arms securely around her waist. After a few seconds, they separated and began to walk back to their own homes.

Off in the distance, down a dark alley, a hidden figure stood. Observing the whole thing, a dark chuckle echoed amongst the brick walls. Revenge would not only be easy, but it would be fun. That Football headed kid had no idea what was coming to him.

 **A cliffhanger! *gasp!* Who was in the alley spying on Arnold and Helga? Anyone have any guesses? I know some of you might be slightly sad that they didn't share a kiss, but I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to take things a bit slow lol Trust me, you won't have to wait too long for more fluff ;) Make sure to leave a review and let me know what you think! xx**


	5. Chapter 5: Elena Vasquez

**I'm taking advantage of the RARE free time I have to update this story a bit more lol I'm sorry if my Chapters have been a tad bit short, I'm working on extending them as the story progresses! I just don't want to put too many crazy 'scenes' in one chapter and overwhelm readers lol Again, thank you to everyone that is following this story! Make sure to leave reviews and follow the story so you can be updated once a new chapter comes out! Enjoy!**

The next day, Arnold and Helga both sported dark circles underneath their eyes, the result of blissful treehouse conversations.

"I hate to tell ya Arnold, but you look like you've been hit by a truck." Gerald and Arnold did their signature handshake as Arnold struggled to keep his eyes open. He had maybe 4 hours of sleep after he got back home from Mighty Pete. He still felt like his and Helga's conversation was a dream, but he knew it wasn't.

 _I wish it had happened during the day instead of the middle of the night, but I'll take what I can get._ Arnold thought shortly.

"I didn't get much sleep last night. I was working on the poetry assignment." Well. Technically he _wasn't_ lying. He wasn't ready to tell Gerald about what happened the night before, not until he knew 100% what this thing was between him and Helga. He didn't want to tell Gerald that they had made peace with each other until Arnold knew for sure it would stick. After he got home, he thought about everything that was said. He never lied to her. He did, in fact, have some sort of feelings for her. The kiss they shared when she admitted her feelings was passionate, to say the least, but there was too much going on to focus on how he felt about it. Saving the neighborhood and learning that the girl who claimed to hate you, was actually hopelessly in love with you, tends to make someone a bit dizzy. When he kissed her in San Lorenzo though, he had to admit that he somewhat enjoyed it. Not just because he was on cloud nine with his parents being awake, but because of how kissing her felt. He remembered how he closed his eyes and grabbed her hands, thus letting her have full control. She could've yanked her hands away but she didn't. The minute he felt her lips on his, it was like a thunderbolt went through him. A chaste kiss, but he knew it meant so much more.

"You actually found a poem? Man, I'm having the worst possible luck with this assignment." Gerald put his hands in his pockets and kicked at a pebble outside of the school steps.

"Mine kinda.. came to me in an epiphany." Arnold shrugged like it was no big deal.

"An epiphany? What kind of epiphany?" Arnold took a seat on a step, Gerald sitting next to him.

"I don't know, Gerald. I just kinda stopped focusing so hard and it just... came to me."

Gerald grumbled at Arnold's good fortune when Helga walked through the middle of the boys to go up the stairs.

"Watch it, Pataki!" Gerald bellowed after being shoved.

"Don't have to, Tall hair boy!" Helga called over her shoulder. Arnold looked at her and furrowed his brows. Maybe the conversation last night was a dream. Why was she suddenly bullying people again? Gerald stood up, obviously looking irritated.

"Are you sure that the girl who confessed her love to you was Helga and not some doppelganger?" Gerald brushed off the imaginary dust off his shirt. Arnold granted him, that on the outside, it seemed to be impossible that Helga could have any possible romantic feelings for anyone. But Arnold knew the real Helga and he wasn't about to give up on her. Patience was a virtue and Arnold hoped that he was born with enough to handle this.

"Come on, Gerald. Let's get to class."

Once everyone was seated in Mr. Simmons class, some people noticed that there was an extra desk that was towards the back. It had never been there before, so why was it there? As if noticing his student's confusion, their teacher explained.

"Goodmorning class! Now, I know some have you noticed that we have an extra seat! Well, that's because we now have an extra student!" Most of the class groaned and moaned at the thought of a new student. Arnold looked curious and Helga looked like she couldn't care less.

"Her name is Elena Vasquez and she will be joining us later today! Principal Wartz is showing her around the school as we speak, and will be bringing her here once they're done!"

No one really thought twice about having a new student. Perhaps they did in fourth grade, but now that they were in sixth grade and were, for the most part, more mature, a new kid didn't really excite everyone like it used to.

"Ok, so raise your hand if you already have a poem picked out for the poetry assignment!" Not many people raised their hand, Arnold noticed. He looked around and saw that only Helga, Phoebe, Rhonda, Eugene and himself had their hand up. He couldn't help but wonder what Helga's poem was. He stole a glance at her and noticed that she was still sitting behind Phoebe. He couldn't help but be disappointed at the fact that she still wasn't sitting behind him. Didn't they clear the air, for the most part, last night? Helga was bullying again and she was still sitting away from Arnold. Apparently, Arnold had to work a bit harder to bring her closer to him. A simple conversation wasn't enough to convince Helga that he was serious. What would it take? He really didn't want to kiss her again just yet. He especially didn't want to kiss her just to prove a point. If he was going to do something as romantic as kissing, he wanted it to be for the right reasons.

"Excellent! Would anyone like to share with the class what poem they've chosen? As to prevent anyone from doing the same one?" Mr. Simmons looked at the class eagerly. Everyone brought their hand down but Arnold.

"Yes, Arnold?"

"I chose the poem that the book is named after, ' _In Which Language Do I Keep Silent_ '." Arnold could hear someone go "Ugh" with frustration, obviously realizing that they'd have to change their poem choice. Mr. Simmons beamed.

"Oh, I was so hoping someone would choose that one! It's filled with so much emotion and clarity! I can't wait to hear your analysis of it, Arnold!" His star student couldn't help become bashful at the praise. Mr. Simmons turned a bit and noticed another hand go up.

"Yes, Helga?" Arnold couldn't stop his head from turning to look at her. She slowly brought her hand down. She was going to share what poem she chose? She usually never volunteered information in the class on her own. He noticed that she quickly made eye contact with Arnold, but just as quickly looked back up to the front. If he blinked, he would've missed it.

"Yeah, it's called ' _Akhmatova Said_ '." Arnold made a mental note to read the poem later. There had to have been a reason as to why she chose that specific poem. Since she took a sneak glance at him before she answered, did the poem by chance remind her of him? He slightly shook his head. Of course, it most likely wasn't. Just because she cared about him, it didn't mean that suddenly everything she did was because of him. He somewhat felt ashamed for having such a selfish assumption. Why though, did it discourage him that he possibly wasn't the inspiration behind her choice of poem? He always had these random thoughts pop up in his head that made him rewind and reconsider where he stood with Helga. Maybe he liked her a bit more than he thought previously? He still wouldn't call it love, but he also knew it wasn't just a simple crush either. It was stronger than what he had felt for Ruth and Lila. Helga and him had too much history for their feelings to be considered silly and disposable. He realized that he had been staring at Helga whilst he was deep in thought, and Helga clearly noticed. He blinked several times to readjust his train of thought.

"That is one of my favorites. The romance basically springs from the poem itself." Everyone looked from Helga to the front because that wasn't Mr. Simmons voice. Rather, it was a petite Hispanic accent that was the culprit. A few students gasped when they saw the beautiful girl standing up front. She had long black hair that seemed to gleam under the fluorescent lights. She had dark brown eyes that were framed by thick eyelashes, not unlike a baby calf. Her skin was a smooth olive tone, not a blemish in sight. She had a pixie nose and a deep cupid's bow to compliment it perfectly. She wore a simple red shirt with a black jacket and jeans.

"Class! This is Elena Vasquez! Elena, we are so happy to have you!" A smile graced her face, making two small dimples pop up within her cheeks.

"Thank you, Mr. Simmons! From the sound of it, I'm super excited for the assignment that involves the poem that blonde girl was talking about!" Everyone looked between Elena and Helga.

"I chose that poem, you'll have to pick another one sister." Helga said menacingly. Elena either noticed the tone and ignored it or she simply overlooked it.

"Oh ok! I'm sure I can find another poem!" started to look in his desk drawers and began to scratch his head.

"Strange, I thought I had another poetry book. Looks like you'll have to look at someone else's for today until I can get you another one tomorrow!" Elena nodded in understanding. She looked at where her desk was and noticed a tall kid next to it that was giving her a small shy wave.

"I can share with that boy right there if that's alright!" Everyone looked and saw that she was pointing at Stinky. Stinky began to chuckle nervously, pulling at the neck of his shirt.

"Of course! Stinky, would that be alright?"

"Well I'd reckin' that'd be just dandy!" Stinky proclaimed. Elena giggled behind her hand. She looked around the class and when her eyes landed on Arnold, it was almost as if she was frozen. Arnold looked back at her, wondering why she was staring. Did he know her? Of course not, she was a new student. Then why was she staring so intensely at him? She slightly shook her head and looked down, almost like she was embarrassed. Harold seemed to have caught the connection between the two.

"Haha, look everyone! Arnold likes the new girl! Ahaha!" Harold laughed and pointed at the now blushing Arnold. Elena seemed to get some color in her cheeks too as the class began to laugh along with Harold.

"Class settle down! Elena, you can go ahead and take your seat." Elena quickly went to her desk, not making eye contact with anyone.

Helga was trying her best not to break her pencil in half from the anger that ran through her veins. Harold was right, Arnold and Elena did stare at each other a little bit too long for comfort. Of course Arnold would catch the eye of the newest pretty princess to walk into the school. Could she blame him though? It was obvious that the girl was gorgeous. Suddenly she could feel the relationship that she and Arnold talked about last night crumble to pieces. Her rage quickly turned into sadness. How could she compete with an attractive and sweet foreign girl like Elena? Helga sunk into her seat a little further, suddenly wishing that she was anywhere else but here.

Class went by agonizingly slow for both Arnold and Helga. Ever since Elena had joined the class, Arnold noticed that Helga had zoned out. She played with her pencil and kept her eyes on her desk. What was wrong with her? Arnold stole a glimpse at Elena and suddenly it hit him like a freight train. Helga was feeling insecure because of Harold's comment about him and Elena. That had to be it! Arnold couldn't stop the guilt that wracked his stomach. Even though it wasn't his fault for what Harold said, he still hated that Helga felt so down because of it. He had to let her know that it didn't mean anything and that Harold was just being Harold. He could wait until after class, but part of him wanted to assure Helga as soon as possible. He hated seeing her so miserable. Could he risk passing a note? Mr. Simmons wasn't one to read notes in class, but Arnold still wanted to make sure that he wasn't caught.

Arnold tore a piece of paper and began to write. He folded it up neatly and inconspicuously turned around. Phoebe would be the one he would trust to pass the note and not read it. He made a 'pst' sound at Phoebe, making her look at him.

"Yes, Arnold?" Phoebe whispered. Arnold handed her the note.

"Could you give that to Helga please?" he whispered back. Phoebe grinned and nodded.

Helga's attention was brought back to the classroom when Phoebe poked her arm. She saw that there was a note on her desk and looked up at Phoebe.

"What is it Pheebz?"

"It's not from me. It's from Arnold." Phoebe said with a twinkle in her eyes. Helga felt her eyes bulge out of her skull. Arnold wrote her a note? She unfolded it so quick she almost got a paper cut.

 ** _Is everything ok? You look kinda down :( Anything I can do?_**

Helga almost fell out of her chair. Arnold actually noticed that she was upset? Was he paying attention to her? Helga grabbed her purple glitter pen and then drew a blank on what to write back. Should she be honest? She didn't want Arnold to think she was a jealous freak of nature, which she was, but that wasn't the point! She wanted Arnold to think that she didn't care if another girl made googly eyes at him. Even though all she wanted to do was toss Elena around like a doll, she couldn't let that show. She jotted down a sentence and passed the note back through Phoebe.

Arnold unfolded the note under the desk so Mr. Simmons wouldn't notice. He seemed to be rather absorbed into Algebra so he didn't think he would pay attention. Arnold read the note and frowned.

 _ **I'm fine, thanks though.**_

Arnold wasn't stupid. Dense at times, but not stupid. He knew something was bothering Helga, but he decided not to press her into sharing right now. Maybe he could catch her at lunch. He stuffed the note in his pocket and went back to listening Mr. Simmons talk about equations.

The bell rang for lunch and almost everyone rushed out like a stampede. Arnold saw this to be the perfect opportunity to talk to Helga. He could talk to her with no prying eyes or eager ears. Helga was gathering her books when Arnold came up to her.

"What do you want, Football head?" Arnold noticed that her name calling didn't have the same bite as it usually did. She almost sounded depressed. For once, Arnold wished that her attitude was back.

"I was wondering if you wanted to sit with me and Gerald during lunch today? Phoebe could sit with us too if you want!" Arnold tried to be cheerful. Helga held her books to her chest.

"Are you sure you don't want to ask _Miss Sunshine_ instead?" Helga winced as she let the comment slip out. Great. Now Arnold was going to be upset and probably call her out on her childish comment. She tries so hard to keep her opinions to herself but sometimes she spits them out like venom. She felt awful when she noticed Arnold's shoulders hunch slightly and the sparkle in his emerald eyes dimmed a bit.

"Helga, I don't even know her."

"She seemed to have known you."

"I've never met her before in my life! Harold was just poking fun like he always does."

"But that doesn't mean he wasn't right." That made Arnold close his mouth instead of quick firing back. It was obvious that Helga was hurt. How was he going to convince her that what happened was nothing? He got an idea as he looked around the room. Gerald was out in the hall waiting on him, out of sight. No one else was in the classroom.

"He wasn't right Helga." Arnold grabbed her hand before she could object, and lifted it to his lips, giving her a peck on her knuckles. Arnold noticed that Helga's neck and face went bright crimson. Helga was holding her breath. Was he seriously doing this? At school?! Before she could snatch it away, Arnold gently dropped it to her side. Did he get closer to her?

"You and Phoebe can sit with us at lunch if you'd like. If not, that's fine too. I just don't want you to be sad over something that doesn't matter." Arnold turned around to leave when Helga finally found her voice.

"That look you two shared was obviously something, Arnaldo." Arnold stopped and turned his head.

"It was nothing compared to what you and I have, Helga." And with that, Arnold left the classroom, leaving Helga stupified in the middle of the vacant classroom.

Arnold and Gerald sat down at their usual lunch table when Gerald immediately threw questions at him like darts.

"Dude, what was with you and that new girl? It was like electricity coming from the two of you!" Arnold took a bite of mashed potatoes before answering.

"It was nothing, Gerald. She just looked at me and I looked back. It wasn't that big of a deal." Gerald barked out a laugh.

"Not that big a deal? Arnold, I swear Elena's pupil turned into hearts when she saw you. Face it, new girl has the hots for my main man!" Gerald poked at Arnold's arm kiddingly.

"No she doesn't Gerald! One look doesn't mean that we suddenly like each other." Arnold realized the irony in the statement as soon as it left it mouth.

Helga liked him from the first time she laid eyes on him, back in Preschool. Arnold felt his throat go scratchy. Did this Elena girl actually like-like him? That quickly?

"I don't know, man. I know chemistry when I see it and I definitely saw it with you two." Arnold slowly became irritated. He knew that Gerald was only pushing this because he really didn't want Helga to be Arnold's romantic interest anymore. Arnold didn't want to be rude, but he needed to be firm. He really didn't want to talk about Elena anymore.

"Just leave it alone, Gerald." Gerald took the hint and began to eat his chicken strips silently. Arnold looked around the cafeteria to look for a certain blonde girl but didn't see her anywhere. He saw Phoebe coming over to the lunch table though and that sparked a bit of hope in Arnold.

"Mind if I sit with you two? Helga wasn't feeling well so she went home early." Gerald encouraged Phoebe to sit down next to him, while Arnold's mind was racing. Helga went home? Was it because of what he said? Was the kiss on the hand too much? Phoebe could see the wheels in Arnold's head turning.

"Helga's fine Arnold. If you're that worried, maybe you can stop by her place and give her the homework that was assigned? Mr. Simmons gave it to me to give to her, but if you'd like to check on her, I'd be more than happy to let you deliver it!" Arnold gave her an appreciative smile.

"Sure thing. Thanks, Phoebe." She replied with a "Mhm!" and began to eat at her corn on her plate. Arnold knew one thing for sure: he was going to be scatterbrained until he could get to Helga and see what was wrong.

Across the lunchroom, sat Elena all by herself. She was far away from Arnold's table so she could stare without him noticing.

"I cannot believe I have found you, Arnold." she mumbled to herself, not touching her food.

 **Oh boy. Well. The new girl is certainly interesting, hm? What do you think of Miss Elena Vasquez so far? In the meantime, I'll be working on the next chapter to be a bit longer (the next chapters content requires a lot of material!) Until next time my fellow Football heads! xx**


	6. Chapter 6: Pink Like Your Pants

**I present to you, Chapter 6! I cannot believe the unbelievable amount of positive reviews I've received on this story so far :') You guys really are too much. This chapter is all about realizations and being brave. I hope you enjoy!**

"All I'm saying is that maybe Pataki needs some space! If you keep bugging her, of course, she's gonna want to stay away from you!" School had let out and Gerald was trying to give Arnold advice while they were walking down the sidewalk.

"Gerald, I'm pretty sure I know what's wrong. If I could just have an actual conversation with her, I know I can smooth things over." Arnold was carrying Helga's homework that Phoebe had so kindly given him to deliver. Though he had an idea of what made Helga leave, he was also second-guessing himself. Was it Elena that set Helga off, or was it Arnold's bold move he pulled in the classroom? He mentally smacked himself after he pondered it. He told Helga just last night that he wanted to take thing's slow, and then he went and tried to be a Casanova with her. He did it at school to make matters worse! What if Rhonda had walked back in for some reason and witnessed it? Helga would be the laughing stock of the school in a matter of an hour, considering how quickly gossip travels in the hallways. He knew he needed to apologize to her, so here he was, standing at her stoop, with her history homework in tow. Gerald put a hand on his shoulder.

"Whatever you say, Arnold. Good luck!" Gerald meandered down the street, leaving the quaking boy with this daunting task of making amends with Helga G. Pataki.

What could go wrong?

Arnold gently rapped on the front door when Big Bob himself swung it open.

"We don't want any cookies!" His deep voice boomed as he was about to slam the door in his face. Arnold stopped it with his shoulder and winced as the door hit him. He knew that would leave a bruise.

"I'm not here to sell cookies, Mr. Pataki. It's Arnold, from Helga's class. I'm just here to bring her the homework she missed." Big Bob groaned as if it was the biggest inconvenience in the world to have Arnold at his door.

"Olga! Alfred is here!"

"It's Arnold." Big Bob didn't listen to his correction as he kept the door open, going back to the living room. Helga strolled down the stairs, keeping her eyes on the floor below her. She got to the door and lifted her eyes to Arnold's level.

"What're you doing here, Arnaldo?" Helga kept her voice low as if she didn't have the energy to raise it. Arnold held out the books and papers towards her. He could've sworn he saw disappointment glaze her eyes.

"Uh, it's the homework you missed. Phoebe was going to bring it but I offered to deliver it instead. So I could check on you." Arnold basically whispered the last part, suddenly feeling shy. Did she even want him here? Last time he showed up at her house, things went so far south he couldn't save it for anything in the world. Helga's eyebrow raised in realization. She gently took the material and held it under her arm.

"Oh. Thanks." Arnold rubbed his hands nervously. Was she going to offer for him to come in? Should he ask for her to come out so they could talk in private? As if reading his mind, Helga let out a small sigh before stepping aside.

"Come on in. We can talk in the kitchen, I guess."

"Are you sure you wouldn't want to talk somewhere more private?" Arnold asked as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"Arnold, I could cut my finger off with a knife in the kitchen and no one would pay attention. We'll be fine." Arnold couldn't help but wince at the imagery that Helga painted. Surely it wasn't that bad here? He knew that Olga was supposedly the "golden child", but Helga was still their daughter! They still must love and care about her enough for it to be noticed.

"Do you want something to drink? We have Yahoo soda and milk." Arnold took a seat at a barstool. He shook his head. She shrugged and took a seat in front of him.

"Helga, why did you leave school?"

"Why is it any of your business?"

"Because I feel like I'm responsible."

"Not everything is about you, Football head." Arnold flinched as if he was struck. The exact thing he was worried about earlier, Helga just vocalized into reality. Was he being selfish into assuming whatever was wrong with Helga had anything to do with him?

"I'm, I'm sorry. I just thought-"

"Yeah, well, you thought wrong, Bucko. I didn't feel good so I came home. You want a doctors note or somethin'?" Arnold could feel despair seep into his chest. He could see that this was a mistake. Gerald was right. Helga obviously wanted to be left alone, and he should've respected that. He jumped down from the barstool.

"No, Helga. I don't. I'll just leave you be. Sorry to bother you." Arnold turned around and made his way to the door. He could feel the squeak of a barstool moving across the tile floor.

"Wait." Arnold turned around and found Helga walking up to him slowly.

"Thank you for uh, checking on me. I appreciate it. I'm fine though. Really." Helga kicked at imaginary dirt while looking at the wall in the hallway. Even though Arnold was slightly relieved that Helga decided to be more nice to him, he was still upset that she wasn't at least _trying_ to open up to him. Talking to her didn't work. Flirting didn't work. What else was there?

Helga finally looked up at Arnold and she could see him thinking through what he was going to say next. What could she tell him? That she was so upset about Elena and flustered at his bold move in the classroom that she ran home like a puppy with a tail between its legs? She wasn't ready to show him all of her vulnerability. Not yet. Arnold's face was set, his mouth in a straight line. He took short and gentle steps towards her, almost like he was approaching a feral animal.

"Helga, I thought we were supposed to start over. Be friends and be more open with each other. This will only work if both of us put in the same amount of effort. It takes two to Tango." Both kids couldn't help but slightly blush at the memory of them dancing the Tango at the April Fools Dance. Helga focused on what Arnold was saying and she knew with absolute clarity that he was right. She wanted to drop to her knees and apologize for her behavior, but her ego wouldn't let her. She just continued not to say anything, staring at him.

"I know opening up is hard for you. Honestly," he took a glance into the living room where Big Bob was stuffing popcorn in his face, eyes glued to the TV, ", I don't really blame you. But you've got to put in _some_ effort. I'm not asking that you unload all of your thoughts and feelings. All I want is a little honesty and trust. But if I can't get that.." Arnold let the sentence hang in the air. Every fiber of Helga's being wanted to pull him into her and not let go. Now she wasn't sure if she was frozen from ego or pure fear. Arnold straightened up and squared his shoulders.

"Talk to me when you're ready, Helga. You know where to find me." Arnold reached out and gently squeezed her arm. Before Helga could say a word, Arnold turned and left. She could feel a single tear run down her face, getting stuck on the curve of her nostril. She ran upstairs, skipping every other step, going to her room. She slammed the door so let the rest of the house knew not to bother her.

Miriam left her bedroom and went downstairs towards the kitchen.

"Hey, Miriam! What's with the girl slamming doors?" Big Bob yelled from his recliner. Miriam brought out her blender and a tall clear bottle.

"I don't know, B. She's upset."

They left it at that, with not another word said.

Arnold climbed up his stairs to his front door, feet basically dragging on the pavement. He heard the distinctive sound of thunder rolling from a distance. He opened the door and stepped to the side, letting his animals run out in a wild hurry. He began to go upstairs when a voice stopped him.

"Hey, Arnold! How was school?" Arnold looked down and saw his mom sitting on the couch. Even though he felt lower than dirt, just seeing his mom's concerned face was enough to bring a slight smile to his face.

"It was ok, mom." He walked back downstairs and sat next to her, throwing his backpack on the floor carelessly. Stella's eyes looked over her son's face. Even though she had been separated from her son for many years, she still knew when something was eating at him. She put a comforting arm around him. Arnold instinctively leaned into the embrace.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Arnold didn't really know where to start. He knew that his mom was super observant and intelligent. He knew he wouldn't be able to lie and her not notice. He let out a drawn-out sigh, knowing that he had to come clean.

"It's... It's Helga." Stella nodded solemnly, having a feeling that it had something to do with her. She thought back to seeing her son sharing a kiss with the young girl. It was obvious that she cared deeply about her son, and he had some feelings for her too. Arnold explained to her who Helga was and how she had picked on him for most of their lives. Though the mama bear in her was slightly ticked at anyone giving her son a rough time, she also had to remember that they were kids. He had told her how Helga helped save the neighborhood, helped convince her dad to fund a float for a parade, and even comforted him when another girl dumped him. Hellen Keller could see that this young lady fancied Arnold, even if she had an unorthodox way of showing it. She rubbed Arnold's shoulder comfortingly.

"Still having a hard time getting her to come out of her shell, I see." Stella didn't say it as a question, but a statement. Just from stories, she knew Helga was a tough girl that never showed her feelings. It would take more than a cute smile and a conversation from Arnold to get her to open up.

"I don't know what to do, mom. I've tried everything I can think of."

"Have you tried giving her some space?" Arnold's shoulder hunched forward.

"Now you sound like Gerald." Arnold grumbled.

"Well, maybe Gerald has a point. Arnold, you have to think, Helga is used to having walls up around her to protect herself. From what you've told me, her hectic home life doesn't help matters and if she's afraid of being rejected, that would make things more complicated. Don't you think?" Arnold stood up abruptly, standing in front of Stella.

"But that's the thing! I-I've told her how I feel! I've told her that I'll be patient with her and that I'm here for her whenever she needs me. Yet, she is _still_ pushing me away." Stella folded her hands in her lap.

"Does she know where you live?" Arnold looked at her with a cocked eyebrow. Stella knew that Helga knew his address.

"Well. Yeah, she does."

"Then she will come to you when she's ready. Arnold, you've told her your feelings. She knows where you stand and what you want to happen. Now the ball is in her court. You said you'd be patient with her. Well, now's the time to put words into action. You have to wait for her to come to you now." Arnold felt his breath hitch in his throat. He hated it, but he knew she was right. That was basically what he told Helga, but it felt more real when it came from his mom.

"What if she doesn't? What if she never comes back?" Arnold couldn't help but have his voice shake a little. These past few weeks, heck, these past few months, he knew that Helga meant more to him than he ever realized. He may not be in love with her, but that didn't mean that picturing a life without her didn't tear away at him. Every time he thought of an adventure he had been on, Helga was right beside him. She made his life exciting and fun. If she decided to separate herself from him, would he be able to handle that? He felt almost sick to his stomach at the thought of it.

"From what you've told me, Arnold, I don't see her staying away too long." Stella let a light chuckle escape her lips. Arnold went back to the couch, letting his mom wrap her arms around her son.

"Besides, how could anyone be without such a caring, sweet, thoughtful, and selfless boy like you?" Arnold felt comforted as Stella began to rake her hand through his unruly golden hair. He felt so lucky that he had his parents back, it sometimes felt like a dream that he was sure he would wake up from. He loved his grandparents, but having his mom and dad to talk to now felt so amazing and simply perfect. He hugged his mom tight before getting up and grabbing his backpack.

"Thanks, mom. I guess I really needed to hear that." Stella smiled, showing her white teeth.

"Anytime sweetheart."

"I gotta go upstairs and work on my poetry homework, but I'll be down for dinner soon!"

"Ok!"

Arnold ran upstairs to his room, closing the door behind him. He sat at his desk, opening his poetry book. He flipped to the bookmarked page, staring at it.

"If only I could express myself the way you do, Mr. Braggs." With that, Arnold got a brilliant idea. In a blur, he got out his notebook and pen and began to furiously write.

"Maybe I can.," Arnold told himself, as he began to write paragraph after paragraph, almost as if his hand had a mind of its own.

Helga sat on her bed, feeling so disgusted with herself she couldn't move. She wanted to call Phoebe for advice, but for some reason, she fought against it. This had nothing to do with Phoebe. She had to decide what to do on her own. Arnold had been nothing but nice to her, but she continuously pushed him away. Why did she do that?! All she's ever wanted was Arnold's affection and now that she basically had it, she threw it away like lunch on Meatloaf Monday. She hated that she was this way. She wanted nothing more than to go to Arnold and confess all of her feelings and emotions. To tell him that she was sorry and that he had every right to be irritated with her. That she loved him with everything she had! He held her heart in his hands, to break or protect.

 _And that absolutely terrified her._

She knew that letting her walls down would be tough, but it was almost as if she wasn't trying. She couldn't add more bricks to her walls everytime an attractive girl saw Arnold or every time she felt insecure. If she kept going down that path, she would surely lose Arnold forever. The thought of that happening gave her a headache.

"Criminey I'm a basket case!" She put her face in her hands. What could she do?! Her inner demons were silenced with the sound of rain hitting her window. It sounded like tiny pebbles being pelted at the glass. Her hands dropped to her lap, looking out her window in a trance.

 _The rain and mud began to soak into her clothes as she approached Preschool. A green car drove up beside her and slowed down to a halt. She kept her face down to prevent the rain getting in her eyes. Before she knew it, the rain stopped, as if a switch had been flipped. She looked up and saw a blue umbrella over her, then looked beside her to find a boy with the weirdest shaped head she had ever seen holding it over both of them. He had yellow hair that seemed to defy the laws of gravity, a tiny blue cap snug in the middle. He wore a yellow raincoat and was sporting a smile._

 _"Hi. Nice bow!" the boy said to her with a smile. Was he being nice to her? Why?_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"I like your bow because it's pink like your pants." He explained as he and_ _she walked towards the front door, out of the rain. She looked up and touched her bow, which was now drooping from being so wet. He folded up his umbrella and went inside. Helga quickly forgot that she was still standing in the rain, or that she was caked in mud. All she could see was the boy that was nice enough to protect her from the rain, if only for a split second. She pressed her nose against the glass and watched as he took off his raincoat to hang it up, revealing a green shirt beneath it that matched his eyes. She couldn't stop the swoon that left her._

Helga shook her head, coming back to the present. She felt her face contort into a look of determination. She leaped from bed, putting on her purple jacket.

She knew what she had to do. It would take bravery, but she knew what had to be done. She was tired of being mean to the only person who was ever nice to her (apart from Phoebe, of course). From the beginning, before he even knew her name, he was nice to her. Now it was time to repay him in kind for all he had done.

She stormed downstairs, not even thinking about grabbing her umbrella. She jumped from her stairs to the sidewalk and made a beeline for the Sunset Arms Boarding House.

 **Next chapter is the pivotal point of Arnold and Helga's relationship! All cards are laid out on the table. Tears will be shed and truth will be spilled. Until next time, my fellow Football heads! xx**


	7. Chapter 7: Dessert Before Dinner

**I seriously couldn't help but get this out as soon as possible xD I loved writing this scene SO much! It is a somewhat short chapter, so I do apologize for that. If you'd like for future chapters to be a bit longer, leave a review and let me know! After this chapter, we'll be switching focus to another matter at hand. Don't worry though, there will be more ArnoldxHelga moments :) Enjoy!**

"...this part really spoke to me because of recent events that have happened to me." Arnold finished writing when he heard a knock at his bedroom door.

"Come in!" he didn't look up from his paper as he called out. For some reason, he was afraid that if he looked away, the words would disappear. In a split second, he felt someone grab the back of his chair and swing it around. Arnold was stunned by the sudden jerk of the chair, and then all of the air escaped his lungs when he saw who was standing in his room.

Helga G. Pataki was standing in the middle of his room, drenched in rainwater. She had a somewhat crazed look in her eyes as she was breathing heavy.

 _Welp. This is how I die._

Arnold had to find his tongue to be able to speak.

"Um. Helga? Are, Are you ok? Do you need to sit do-"

"I need to say this before I lose all of my courage, Football head so please don't interrupt me and just listen up!" Helga was pointing a finger at him with one hand, the other was clenched into a fist at her side. Arnold gulped audibly and nodded. Helga took a deep breath as if she was about to jump in a pool.

"Ok. Ok um. I just wanted to start off by apologizing for how I treated you earlier." Arnold opened his mouth to speak but Helga stopped him.

"I told you to let me finish! Please, just let me get this out and afterward, you can tell me to get lost and leave you alone. But this needs to be said." Arnold felt the hair on his arms stand on end. It was as if Helga was radiating this electrifying energy through him. Odd enough, he was pretty sure he liked it.

"I treated you... so unfairly. I was mean and selfish and you were right. I haven't been trying to connect with you and the reason why is because... because I'm scared, Arnold." Helga's voice became soft and meek. Arnold had never heard Helga's voice get so _gentle_.

"I'm so afraid that I'm going to end up being heartbroken and I've spent _so_ long protecting myself that the thought of letting anyone in, especially _you_ , terrifies me." Arnold had to grip the sides of his chair to prevent himself from leaping up and embracing the sopping wet girl in front of him. Did she not know by now that she didn't have to be afraid of him? He would never purposefully hurt Helga for anything in the world.

 _But you've already accidentally hurt her. What's stopping you from doing it again?_

Arnold's subconscious made him realize that he had hurt Helga before. Not intentionally, but he did, in fact, hurt her. That's what she was talking about. Surely she knew by now that he wouldn't reject her cold. But she also knew that Arnold's feelings for her weren't as strong as her feelings for him. There was nothing wrong with that either, but Arnold loathed knowing that he was somewhat responsible for causing Helga to feel this way. He wanted her to be comfortable with him. Even though Helga was being amazingly brave right now as she stood before him, Arnold also saw a scared little girl that was putting everything she had on the table.

"I've been so focused on protecting my own heart, that I... I didn't even take into consideration yours." Helga felt liquid run down her face as she spoke. She was pretty sure they were tears and she was so glad that maybe the rainwater could mask it. She didn't even realize how true that was until she said it out loud. She was so wrapped up in her own self-pity, that she never considered how Arnold was feeling throughout this whole mess. Of course, he was probably confused and afraid about this new realization that she loved him, and considering everything that had happened up until this point, Arnold had handled it like a champ. He never made her feel embarrassed for her feelings. He never rejected a chance to be there for her. He opened himself open to her and she was so afraid that she would crash and burn, that she didn't even think about the toll it took on Arnold to be so thoughtful in such an odd situation.

"When you told me that you had feelings for me, I couldn't have been happier. Arnold, the sweetest boy with the biggest heart, having feelings for the heartless and cruel Helga Pataki? It didn't seem real. And I think in my own twisted mind, I had convinced myself that it wasn't. Even when you were going _above and beyond_ to show how you felt, I couldn't risk believing it." Helga felt her heart beat like a hummingbird. She knew if she didn't focus, her legs would surely give out. Here she was, bearing her soul to the love of her life, and she could hardly believe that she was actually doing it. Arnold was looking at her with a mixture of pity and... _awe_? Shouldn't he be looking at her with fear and, to be honest, disgust? I mean, she did just barge in unannounced and was now basically screaming at him. Shouldn't he at least be angry at the intrusion? She needed to finish before she ran like a scared cat. If she didn't say it now, she never would.

"Arnold, I love you. I could tell you this until my voice is gone and it would still ring true. You've had my heart ever since you held that umbrella over me back on the first day of Preschool." A loud boom of thunder echoed from outside, making the memory that much more tangible.

"I had to walk to Preschool, in the pouring rain because no one cared enough to drive me there. I had a car splash muddy water on me and I had a stupid dog take my lunchbox. By the time I got to the school, I felt so lost. I was only 3 and I had already felt like the world didn't love me." Arnold could feel his eyes pool with tears. How could anyone let their child feel so unloved? He couldn't imagine his own parents or grandparents not caring enough about him to even drive him to school. No wonder Helga was so jaded. Life hadn't been kind to her from the beginning. Strangely, Helga began to smile fondly.

"That was... until _you_ came out of nowhere." Arnold could feel his eyebrows shoot up. Him? What did he do?

"Well, I mean, technically you didn't come out of nowhere. You got out of your grandpa's car. You saw that I was getting rained on and you were thoughtful enough to put your umbrella over me. I looked at you and marveled because.. because you were the first person to ever show me kindness." Arnold tried to think back on that day, and at first, he was having no luck. His eyes moved to Helga's bow that was now a darker shade of pink, thanks to it being soaking wet. He had a quick memory flash through his mind.

 _"I like your bow because it's pink like your pants."_

Helga's eyes went wide, her mouth open in shock. Hearing him say that again, now that his voice had gotten deeper and more mature with age, made Helga love the sentence even more.

Arnold realized that he had said this out loud.

"You...You _remember_?" Helga started to shake, whether it was from her nerves or being cold from the rain, she wasn't sure.

"I..I do. You looked so sad and wet. I hated to see anyone sad, so my instinct was to try and cheer you up." Arnold couldn't believe what he was realizing. Helga really had loved him since Preschool. And not because of some romantic gesture he had done. He hadn't made her a Valentine's card, or called her cute, or even held her hand. She loved him simply because he did a small kindness for her.

"Well. Now you know. Now you know how much I love you. I love you more than there are stars in the sky, you adorable but dense Football head! I'm standing here," Helga held out her arms that made water droplets fall to the carpet floor, ", completely vulnerable. My heart is completely yours. To break or to hold, it's up to you. But if you decide to reject it, I will understand. What I said in San Lorenzo was true. Arnold, my heart _isn't_ the purest of hearts. It's been stepped on and it has reduced in size, but it's still yours. It's all I have to offer..."

Arnold felt like he was on top of that rooftop with Helga all over again. His mind was all over the place, trying to comprehend what was happening. Helga was pouring her soul out to him, and there he sat dumbstruck. He didn't want to hurt Helga, that was the last thing he wanted to do. He knew now, more than ever, that all Helga needed was love. Whether that came from him, Phoebe, or even from his parents, she needed to be shown that she really was cared for and loved. How many times had she actually been shown affection? True, undeniable affection? Arnold thought back to what his mom had told him. When Helga was ready, she would come to him. Granted, he didn't think it would happen 3 hours after their conversation, but here she was. Now it was Arnold's turn to make a move. With a smile on his face, he knew what he wanted to do.

Arnold stood up abruptly and wrapped Helga in his arms. Helga couldn't stop the sigh of relief when she felt Arnold's warmth surround her. She knew she was getting Arnold wet, but it was obvious that he didn't care. She hugged him back and before she could stop it, she began to silently cry. The only way Arnold knew what was happening, was from Helga's shoulders shaking. He squeezed her tighter as if trying to make sure all of her broken pieces stayed together.

"I'm right here, Helga. I'm not going anywhere." Helga began to sob harder, her knees finally taking all they could take. She collapsed to the floor, with Arnold still holding onto her. They stayed like that while Helga composed herself. She pulled back from Arnold, realizing her hair had fallen down from the hold her bow had on it. Arnold looked at her and it was like nothing else existed. He wiped away her tears with both of his hands as he gazed into her cerulean blue eyes. Her eyes were slightly red from crying, which made the blue stand out even more. Her golden hair framed her face perfectly. Arnold was completely mesmerized.

"Helga. I really want to do something right now. But afterward, would you want to go downstairs so we could talk some more and let you dry off?" Helga couldn't help but be slightly angry.

"You want to do something? Right now, as I'm spilling my freaking guts to you, completely-"

"I want to kiss you." Arnold interrupted. Helga stopped talking.

"You, You what?"

"I really, _really_ want to kiss you." Helga leaned towards him, trying to tempt him. It was obvious she still had just enough bravery to be this bold.

"Then do it." she spoke barely above a whisper. Arnold glanced down at her lips for a split second, quickly regretting it. Her lips were glistening from the rain and were now slightly pouting. What was happening?! He said he wanted to take things slow, and this was the opposite! He couldn't fight what he was feeling though. The kiss they shared in San Lorenzo was, dare he say, absolutely perfect. All he wanted to do at that moment was to make it happen again. He wanted to make Helga forget all of the pain she was feeling. He wanted to be there for her in every way possible, to prove to her that he wasn't going to leave her. He wanted to prove that the feelings he had for her were true.

"The problem is," he said as he leaned in, "if I kissed you, I don't think I'd be able to stop." He grabbed onto her hands as he said this, feeling her shiver.

Hey, if she was going to be honest with him, didn't she deserve the same in return?

He could feel her breath on his lips when a sudden knock on his bedroom door made them both jump. Helga could spit fire she was so angry. Arnold dropped his head, disappointment radiating everywhere.

"Yes?"

"It's dinnertime, Kimba! Ask Eleanor if she would like to join us!" Gertie asked without opening the door. Arnold picked his head up and looked at Helga, who was now obviously frustrated beyond belief. He couldn't help but laugh.

"Ok, we'll be down in a second!" Arnold called out without breaking eye contact with Helga.

"Well. I _used_ to like your grandma." Helga commented with a scowl on her face. Arnold laughed even harder as he stood up, holding out a hand for Helga to take. She took it as she got up on her feet.

"Would you like to join us for dinner, Helga?" Arnold asked, still feeling the same electricity from earlier. Helga sighed and shrugged.

"Sure, Football head. Why not." Arnold smiled ear to ear as he opened the door for her to go first. As she blushed at his sweet gesture, Arnold quickly pecked her on the cheek. Helga's hand flew to her face and looked at him.

"What was that for?" she asked timidly. Arnold put one hand on her lower back and closed the door behind him with the other.

"What can I say? I sometimes like to have dessert before dinner." Helga gasped quietly at the rather flirtatious reply. Who knew Arnold could be so smooth?

Helga didn't reply, but Arnold took note of how Helga's eyes sparkled a bit brighter after he had said that. He also noticed that his hand hadn't left her lower back since they left his bedroom.

He was pretty sure Helga felt the same, but he had to admit, he really didn't mind if he never stopped touching her again.

 **There you have it! :D Sorry I didn't give them the kiss you were expecting, but all in good time! Like I said at the beginning if you'd like the chapters to be longer, leave a review and let me know! It'll mean I wouldn't be able to get chapters out as quickly as I have been, but hopefully the content will make up for it lol Thank you for reading, and until next time my fellow Football heads! xx**


	8. Chapter 8: Danger

**First off, let me say that you guys are SO sweet and flattering :') I was so nervous to put out my own writing, and the positive reviews I've had have honestly made me tear up. My whole goal with writing (whether it be a fanfiction or an original story) is to touch someone's heart and emotions. The fact that I'm able to do that is so rewarding to me. Thank you all for the support!**

Arnold and Helga dragged their feet to the kitchen, both of them wishing they hadn't been interrupted. Arnold still was reeling from the fact that if it wasn't for his grandma knocking on the door, he would probably be kissing Helga right now. Now that the "moment" was gone, he could think logically. Technically, he shouldn't be kissing Helga. At least not right now. He still didn't want to lead her on, and he knew that they needed to take thing's slow. But since they'd already kissed before, would kissing again be moving too fast? Moving too fast would be for him to tell her that he was in love with her. While he knew for sure he loved her as a friend and, in general, a human being, he still wasn't sure if his love for her fit in the romantic category as well. But they were both 11, kissing wasn't _that_ outrageous, was it?

 _Ok, now you're just making up excuses so you can kiss her._

Arnold rolled his eyes at the intruding thought. He was irritated because it was true. He really did want to kiss Helga. It was a foreign feeling to him and he honestly didn't know how to handle it. It didn't escape him though that Helga wanted to kiss him too. That, of course, made the decision that much harder.

 _"Then do it."_

Arnold still felt chills along his spine just from thinking about how she said it. If silk could be a tone of voice, Helga definitely had it and used it on him. Which wasn't really fair now that he thought about it. That's why he gave her that 'dessert' comment. _Two can play this flirting game_ , he thought smugly. He just wasn't sure who would win.

"Why hello Eleanor! So lovely for you to join us for dinner! I hope you like baked chicken and raspberry pie!" Arnold realized that they had made it into the kitchen, his hand still cupping Helga's lower back. He quickly removed it before anyone noticed and made a comment about it. Helga blushed from the attention.

"Absolutely! I never reject food." Helga rubbed her hands together in anticipation for the delicious meal. Arnold saw her chair and quickly grabbed it before she could. Helga looked at him with question marks in her eyes. Arnold gave a nervous chuckle as he pulled it out for her to take a seat. Realization dawned in Helga's eyes as she slowly sat down. Arnold took his own seat next to her and gave her a small wink. Her eyes bashfully went from him to the empty plate in front of her.

"Pookie, I swear if you made a raspberry pie I'll be in the bathroom all night!" Phil exclaimed as he rubbed his protruding gut. Arnold groaned as he facepalmed. The perfect way to properly introduce his possibly-future-girlfriend to his family. Phil looked to the kitchen table and noticed Helga's presence.

"Oh, how rude of me! I didn't know that we had company!" Helga shrugged nonchalantly.

"Don't sweat it. Bob has said and done a lot worse. I'm used to it by now." Phil mumbled under his breath something along the lines of _"Oh I believe that"._

"Um grandpa, I was hoping it would be ok if Helga joined us for dinner if that's ok?"

"Why of course, Shortman! The more the merrier I always say!" Gertie marched in the kitchen wearing an army uniform, holding a pot of mashed potatoes that she plopped onto everyone's plate.

"First to fight for the right, And to build the Nation's might, And The Army Goes Rolling Along, Proud of all we have done, Fighting till the battle's won, And the Army Goes Rolling Along!" Gertie began to sing as she marched around the dinner table. Helga looked at Arnold with eyes that basically said: _"Is this normal?"_. Arnold sheepishly nodded.

"Ey old man, would you want your slice of pie or can I have it?" Oskar asked as he let out his signature chuckle, strolling towards the table. Phil hit his fist on the table.

"Kokoshka keep your filthy hands off of my pie! You no good stealing scoundrel!"

 _Maybe I should've walked Helga home._

Arnold loved his family with all of his heart, but having company over can sometimes be a trainwreck. He should've warned Helga about his... _colorful_ residents, but he was so lost in a daze it totally slipped his mind. Helga surely would never let him hear the end of it. He snuck a peek at her and she was...she was...

 _Laughing?_

Helga was covering her hand over her mouth as she stifled giggles. Arnold couldn't believe that she was actually enjoying this circus! He couldn't resist a relieved sigh escape his chest.

"Ernie! You cheated! Admit it!" Mr. Hyunh shouted as he and Mr. Potts sat across from Helga and Arnold.

"I did not cheat Hyunh! You're just awful at Poker! Don't blame the player, blame your skill!" Ernie boasted as he stretched his suspenders out from his chest. Arnold cleared his throat into his fist.

"Um, guys. I brought a friend over for dinner." The two men looked at Helga.

"Oh! Where are my manners! I am Mr. Hyunh! I live in room number three!"

"She doesn't need to know what room you live in, moron!" Ernie said with a mouth full of mashed potatoes, pieces of chewed food flaking over the table.

"I was just being polite to our guest! Maybe you should try it sometime!" Arnold felt perspiration come up on his forehead and brow. Even though it was getting kind of rocky, it could always be worse.

"Hey, what's with that caterpillar on your face?" Oskar asked Helga while pointing to his own face.

 _Welp. It got worse._

Helga rolled her eyes and made a low growl.

"Would you shut up, Kokoshka! If you say another word you won't have dessert in this kitchen for a month! Isn't that right, Pookie?"

"Yes, General!"

Arnold gave Helga's hand a light squeeze underneath the table. She looked over and mouthed the words "thank you". Arnold nodded, letting go of her hand.

"Oh mom, this food smells heavenly!" Miles said as he gave Gertie a kiss on the cheek. He turned around and noticed Helga sitting at the table.

"Well hello, Helga! Are you joining us for dinner?" Miles took a seat beside Phil at the end of the table.

"Um yeah, er, yes sir. If that's ok Mr. Shortman?"

"Oh, formalities are not necessary. Not when it comes to Arnold's friends. Call me Miles!" Helga pulled at her dress collar nervously.

"And you, of course, may call me Stella!" Everyone looked up as Arnold's mom walked into the kitchen with Suzy. Suzy took her place beside Oskar, and Stella took the only seat left. She sat right in between her husband and Helga. Suzy looked over at Helga with curiosity.

"Hey don't I know you from somewhere?" Helga thought about it for a minute and nodded as she sipped some water from her glass.

"No, but you met my mom, Miriam. You and her took some stupid dance lesson when we were at the beach that one time."

"That's right! Oh, your mom was so much fun!"

"You clearly don't know Miriam." Helga was rolling around her green peas with a fork, clearly not interested in the conversation. Arnold thought on his feet to change the subject.

"Hey! Um, so how was everyone's day?" Arnold called out to everyone. And just like that, everyone was talking at once. Helga shot Arnold another appreciative glance.

After dinner was over, Arnold got up quickly.

"Well, I hate to cut out early but I have to get Helga home. It's getting kinda late." Helga followed Arnold's lead and got up from her chair.

"Awh, well it was good to have you, Helga! You are more than welcome to come back anytime!" Stella commented.

"Thank you, Stella. I just might take you up on that offer one day!" Helga sent a salute to Gertie, who stood at attention with a wooden spoon in her hand.

"Goodnight Eleanor! Teddy, you keep her safe!" Gertie winked. Arnold rushed himself and Helga out of the door.

"I will, grandma!" He quickly closed the door before any more goodbyes could be made. He took a deep breath and looked at Helga.

"Well, Football head. That was certainly one of the more interesting dinners I've had in my lifetime." She had her arms folded, a smirk on her face. Arnold rubbed the back of his neck and looked to the ground.

"Hehe, yeah. They're quite the uh... lively bunch." Helga laughed at Arnold being so embarrassed. She playfully punched him in the arm.

"Don't be so embarrassed! Trust me, that was a dinner with Her Majesty compared to what dinner with my family would be like." Helga visibly shuttered at the thought. Arnold grabbed her hand, led her down the stairs of the stoop and began to walk down the street.

"Dinner with your parent's couldn't possibly be that bad." Arnold said thoughtfully. Helga snorted.

"Oh trust me, Arnaldo. It really would."

For the rest of the walk to Helga's place, it was utter silence between them. It was a comfortable silence though. Arnold enjoyed the feeling of having her hand in his. It was almost as if her hand was made to fit into his perfectly. Once they made it to her front porch, Helga turned around to meet Arnold's gaze.

"Well. Thanks for letting me stay for dinner. Believe it or not, even with the chaos, I still had fun." Arnold chuckled as he took hold of both of her hands.

"I'm glad, Helga. Mom was right too. If you ever would like to come back over, you're more than welcome to." Helga took a step closer to Arnold.

"Would you... like for me to come back over?" Arnold gave her a 'are you serious?' smile as he brought both of her hands to his lips, giving them an affectionate 5-second kiss.

"You know as well as I do that I would love to have you back over." Helga couldn't help but swoon at how Arnold used the word 'love' in her direction. No, he didn't say 'I love you', but just him using that in a sentence while referencing her was enough to make her lightheaded.

"Then I guess you'll be seeing me again," Helga said in a flirty way. Arnold's dopey grin was plastered on his face before he knew it. Besides his and Helga's kiss getting ruined, this had been a pretty wonderful night. Helga didn't run screaming once dinner started and now he got to walk her home under a blanket of stars. The trees and sidewalk were still glistening from the rain earlier, which made everything look so enchanting.

So romantic.

Arnold jogged up the stairs towards Helga and caught her before she put her hand on the doorknob. She looked at him and he couldn't help but gasp.

The stars from the sky were being reflected off of her eyes. It looked like they held galaxies in them. Arnold put a strand of hair behind her ear. At that moment, he really didn't know what to say. He wanted to say so much to her, but he knew he wouldn't be able to word it correctly. This moment was too perfect to waste on jumbled words and broken sentences. Helga lost herself in his shining eyes, treasuring every second she had to be close to him. Just as he thought, even though she wanted to speak up and tell him how much he meant to her, it was one of those moments that would be ruined with any kind of words. Even 'I love you'. Right when their noses were brushing each other, the porch light came to life above them. Helga closed her eyes and felt like screaming.

"I really hate to do this, but Bob is on the other side of that door and I do _not_ want you to witness what's about to happen." Helga went from looking like she was on cloud nine, to below sea level in a matter of seconds. Arnold felt devastated. Could they not catch a break? Helga sighed and pulled away from him reluctantly.

"I'll see you tomorrow at school, Football head." Arnold nodded solemnly.

"Goodnight, Helga." He watched her until she got inside and gently closed the door. Arnold stuffed his hands in his pockets and flinched as he heard Mr. Pataki screaming.

"Sweet dreams," Arnold whispered to the door as he dragged his feet down the sidewalk. His eyes were so glued to the ground, he didn't even notice the dark figure follow him all the way to the Sunset Boardinghouse.

As Arnold approached his stoop, he heard a pebble getting kicked behind him. He quickly turned around and noticed something, or someone, hide on the other side of the stairs.

"Who's there? There's no need to hide, I saw you!" Arnold said in a commanding voice. Who could be following him home, this late at night?

Nothing good, that's for sure.

He expected to see a masked man wielding a weapon. The last person he expected turned the corner, facing him.

"I'm sorry, Arnold. But we need to talk."

Arnold was confused, frightened, and intrigued all at once.

Elena Vasquez stood before him, wearing a dark coat and a black hat.

"Why did you follow me home? Whatever you need to tell me could've waited until tomorrow at school." Arnold was now slightly upset. It ranked high on the creepy factor that this girl that he had only met once, followed him home in the dead of night.

"No, we couldn't have. Too many ears."

"Elena, I don't even know you. You better have a good reason for this." Arnold folded his arms and had a scowl on his face that would even make Helga proud.

Elena took a deep breath and looked up at him.

"Arnold, I fear your life is in danger." Arnold, again, didn't expect to hear what he was told. His life was in danger? He hadn't done anything!

"You must be mistaken." Elena shook her head violently as Arnold turned to go inside.

"No, Arnold please listen to me! It's not just your life, but your friends! Your family!" Arnold tuned her out as he began to open his front door. This girl was absolutely nuts.

"Helga's especially in danger." Elena said a bit calmer, but there was still a crack in her voice when she said Helga's name.

Arnold stopped and slowly closed the door. There was now a ringing in his ears. He turned back to her and could feel his eyes grow darker with anger, blood rushing to his face.

"If this is a sick joke, it's _not_ funny." Elena looked pitiful as she dared another step towards him.

"I wouldn't lie about this. Please listen to me." Arnold thought about it for a minute. Why in the world should he believe this girl who he had just met? Sure, her claims were quite frightening. But what else would get his attention, if not the safety of his loved ones? He couldn't think of why she would make something like this up, especially if she was dedicated enough to follow him at night.

 _Or she was mental. That was always a possibility._

"Look, we can talk tomorrow about it after school. I swear though if you're lying," Arnold pointed a menacing finger at her. Arnold was never one to put out threats, but this wasn't just a simple tease. This girl was playing with fire, putting out information like that. If she was lying, for whatever reason, Arnold could only imagine how steaming mad he would be.

"I _swear_ , Arnold. I'm not lying." She crossed her pointer finger over her heart in an X. "Meet me after school tomorrow at the bench in the park. I'll explain everything."

Arnold nodded and before he could hear any more ludicrous things, he rushed inside and slammed the door.

"I really hope you'll head my warning, Arnold." Elena turned to walk down the street, lowering the hat on her head.

The last thing she remembered was feeling a painful blow to the back of her head. Then, everything went black.

 **Dun dun dunnnnn! XD This chapter was going to end SO differently, but I decided last minute to change it. Next chapter will be a flashback scene completely. It will be a much longer chapter because this flashback is very important information that you readers need to know. It'll be a couple of days before I update (me and my husband's wedding anniversary 3) but I promise, the wait will be worth it! Next chapter you'll learn more of where Elena came from and some clues as to what, or** ** _who_** **, the major threat is to Arnold and the gang. Thank you for the lovely reviews, I look forward to reading some guesses and predictions! ;D Until next time, my fellow Football heads!**


	9. Chapter 9: Revenge

**I'm back! :D Thank you to everyone who has left such kind reviews. I really appreciate the support and I can't wait to continue this story and reading everyone's reactions! This chapter has a few "omg wtf" moments, so hang tight and enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters. Because if I did Arnold and Helga would be married with 5 kids. No, seriously ;)**

*3 days after P.S. 118 left San Lorenzo*

Elena woke up, stretching and letting out a loud yawn. She couldn't remember the last time she slept so well. She sat up and turned her body, letting her legs dangle off the side of her cot. She straightened out her cotton nightgown and made her way into the kitchen.

"Buenos Dias!" her caretaker chimed as the young girl sat down at the table. She could smell eggs being cooked and could hear the boiling water bubble, which she was sure contained rice. The older man turned around and had a smile that matched her own. Except his was slightly covered by a black and grey mustache.

"Buenos Dias, Eduardo!" she said with a giggle. As she grabbed her knife and fork, Eduardo placed a plate filled with her favorite breakfast food in front of her: Sunnyside up eggs with a side of black beans and rice. He placed a small bowl of lychees next to her glass of milk. He sat next to her in his own wicker chair, taking a bite of his own eggs, which he preferred to be scrambled.

"How'd you sleep, Conejito?" he asked as Elena scarfed down her lychees. Juices from the sweet fruit began to leak from the corner of her mouth. She quickly grabbed a napkin and dabbed at her lips.

"Better than I have in a long time. What about you?" Eduardo nodded as he scooped a spoon of beans and rice into his mouth.

"Very well. It's such a relief since the Sleeping Curse has been lifted." Elena sipped on her milk while in deep thought. It didn't go unnoticed.

"What's rolling around in that brain of yours?" Eduardo interrupted her train of thought. She shook her head and shrugged.

"Nothing! I'm glad that Arnold was able to break the curse. I'm just...I don't know.." she trailed off. Eduardo held her hand on the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"I promise my Conejito, you will meet Arnold one day. I feel it in my bones." Elena sighed and felt her chest become lighter just from that one statement. She kept thinking about the moment where she actually laid eyes on him. It was right after all of the children were running to their parents to greet them. Her birth parents died when she was younger, so she, of course, didn't join the other kids. She tried looking for Arnold but to no avail. When she finally did find him though, he was walking hand in hand with a blonde girl that seemed to be practically glued at his side. She could almost see the affection radiate from them, so she decided that it wasn't the best time to introduce herself. She could feel the jealousy course through her veins. She wished she could walk with him and make him smile like the blonde girl was doing. She must be important to him. Before she knew it, Arnold, his friend with the tall hair and the blonde girl with the bow had left. She was so distraught that she hadn't met him officially.

Elena pushed her chair back, taking her empty plate to the sink. Eduardo grabbed the dish soap from her hand.

"Go ahead and get dressed and play outside. I'll take care of the dishes today. Go have fun." Elena smiled as she gave Eduardo a tight squeeze. She ran to her room to put on a green top with brown leather pants that Eduardo had gotten her as a gift not too long ago. She ran outside as Eduardo chuckled to himself.

Elena ran outside towards the dirt court to find her friends, Maria and Sofia playing Marbles. Elena stopped from a distance and took a good look at her best friends.

Maria had dark caramel skin, with hair as black as night that only reached her shoulders. She had a toothy grin, but her hazel eyes seemed to twinkle whenever she showed her pearly whites. Sofia had light brown hair that was kinky and cascaded all the way down to her lower back. She almost always had it in a high ponytail so it wouldn't get in her way. Her light brown eyes always had a bit of mischief in them and Elena couldn't help but admire her for that. Elena knew her place amongst her friends, and she didn't mind it. Maria was the social butterfly, Sofia could be as sweet as a Valencia red rose or as tricky as a coral snake. Elena was considered the "pretty one" within the group, even though Maria and Sofia were absolutely stunning. She was also book smart and was stubborn as anyone could be. She had an attitude when she needed to stand her ground, but she also had such a sweet voice that was perfect for her wise words that she carried throughout the Green Eyes.

She jogged up to Maria and Sofia, who had noticed her approaching.

"Buenos Dias, Elena!" the girls said in unison. Elena laughed and stood beside them.

"Will there ever be a day that you two don't do that?" Elena said, referring to the girls having uncanny communication connections. They both shrugged.

"Probably not," Sofia mumbled as she packed up her marbles. Elena rolled her eyes with a matching smile.

"Oh yeah, you missed this guy that was absolutely hysterically angry. It was kinda scary, but entertaining at the same time." Maria said nonchalantly.

"What guy?" Elena couldn't help but be concerned. Ever since Arnold lifted the curse, no one in the village even got an attitude if they were cheated of a vegetable at a market. They were just so happy that everyone got reunited, they let the small inconveniences roll off their backs.

"I've never seen him before. I don't think he lives here in the village. He was here yelling and cursing about how his father was killed and he wanted justice." The girls began to walk towards an oak bench to sit at.

"What'd he look like?" Elena asked, suddenly very invested in the situation. A father who'd been killed? She thought all of the parents woke up from the Sleeping Curse? She had heard of no casualties, but if what Sofia said was true, if this guy wasn't from here, then his father wasn't either. Why did he come here, of all places, to call out and demand justice?

"Oh, he was attractive. Dark hair, what looked to be the beginning of a beard coming in. He couldn't have been over 16 or 17 years old." Maria said in a dreamy voice. Sofia scoffed.

"Yeah, he was pretty hot for a psycho." Elena's ears perked up at the word. For Maria to use such a harsh word to describe someone, it usually meant that it was somewhat true.

"Well, I mean if his dad was _murdered_ , I don't really blame him for going ballistic. Why here though?" Elena asked herself, rather than directed at the girls.

"I don't know. He mentioned that it was because of some kid's fault. He said his name was... oh what did he say..." Sofia tapped her chin while trying to remember.

"Arnie!" Maria exclaimed. Elena could feel her stomach drop.

"Do you mean, _Arnold_?" Elena's voice was hollow. Surely he didn't mean...

"Yes! Arnold! He said that some kid named Arnold killed his dad. The only Arnold we knew of was the one who saved our people, but according to legend, he's supposed to be completely pure of heart. There's no way he would've done it." Sofia said as she picked at a hangnail.

"Did he uh... did he say anything else?" Elena asked, twisting her wrists nervously.

"Not really. Just that he would get his revenge or something melodramatic like that. A group of men threw him out of the village and that was it. Hey, do you guy's want to check out the new fruit stand down the road? I hear that they got new chocolate imported from Costa Rica and it's supposed to be amazing!" Maria stood up, Sofia following her lead. Elena couldn't find feeling in her legs, so she stayed put.

"I'll catch up to you guy's later," Elena mumbled as she stared at a patch of grass in the distance. Both girls shrugged and waved their goodbyes as they sprinted towards the fruit stands.

Elena finally got up and went back to her hut, finding Eduardo doing the laundry. She was out of breath by the time she got up to him, not from running, but from pure panic.

"Ed, Eduardo? Did you hear of a guy trying to find Arnold in the village today?" She could tell by the look in his eyes, that he had.

"I was hoping you wouldn't find out. Before you start hyperventilating, Arnold is perfectly safe. He's back home in America." Eduardo picked Elena up and sat her on the dryer.

"Sofia and Maria said that the guy who came sounded really angry. He wanted revenge!" Eduardo folded a shirt as he replied immediately.

"Elena, you know those girls like to exaggerate stories. Nothing happens in this village so they like to make things sound more interesting than it is." Elena narrowed her eyes.

"The guy said that Arnold killed his dad." Eduardo stopped folding abruptly. His eyes got a bit wider.

"Did he?"

"Do you know who this kid is? Or who his dad was?" Elena asked, her voice thick with emotion. Eduardo sighed and put both hands on the dryer, hanging his head in thought.

"I have a feeling I know who it is. But it's nothing for you to be concerned about. Like I said, Arnold is safe." Elena jumped down and put her hands on her hips.

"Who is it, Eduardo?" He looked down at the young girl before him, and he could've sworn he saw flames in her eyes. He knew when Elena was deadset on something, there was no stopping her. Eduardo got down on one knee and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"If it's who I think it is, the child who was here making a scene... his name is Santiago Sanchez. He took his mother's last name instead of his father's, much to his papa's disdain."

"What's his papa's last name?" Elena whispered. She saw fear graze Eduardo's eyes and suddenly, she wasn't sure if she wanted to know anymore. Eduardo took in a shaky breath.

"LaSombra."

Elena felt her blood go cold. LaSombra was the father that he was yelling about? From what she heard about him, LaSombra was an evil man who wanted to destroy her village and the GreenEyes. Eduardo told her about how Arnold and his friends didn't technically cause LaSombra's death. _His own greed killed him_ , is how he phrased it.

But if Santiago believes Arnold to be the murderer...

"We have to warn Arnold!" Elena ran into the kitchen to grab Eduardo's emergency phone.

"Elena, like I said, Santiago is a child. There's no way he could reach America and even if he could, the chances of him finding Arnold are a million to one."

"Shouldn't Arnold still know about this?"

"What's the point in worrying him, when the chances of him facing Santiago are near to none?"

"Because there is still a chance!" Elena screamed. Eduardo opened his mouth to speak but thought against it.

"Arnold needs to know that it's a possibility. If something were to happen to him or his loved ones, I'd never be able to live with myself. And neither would you!" Elena felt hot tears go down her face. She wasn't about to let this get brushed off and forgotten. Eduardo looked and felt defeated.

"You're right. So what do you want to do? I could fly there and warn them, but who would look after you?" Elena, still clutching the emergency phone, came up with an idea. She slowly placed the phone down.

"I'll come with you." Eduardo shook his head quickly.

"Absolutely not, Conejito. I don't want to risk putting you in danger, even if the chances are small. I promised your parents that I would keep you safe."

"And you will. I know you will. I have to do this, Eduardo." Elena ran to her room to go ahead and pack, the conversation pretty much over. When she decided on something, it might as well be carved in stone. Eduardo's voice stopped her.

"Why? Why do you have to do this?" Elena turned her head and didn't skip a beat when replying.

"Because I love him. And I refuse to let him be in danger when there's something I can do to protect him." Eduardo folded his arms, but she could see in his eyes that he understood her reasoning.

Elena went to her room and closed the door. She went through her clothes while packing. She picked up a world map that was placed on her bedside table, a small town named Hillwood circled in red marker. She stole it from Eduardo's desk a few weeks ago, and if he noticed, he didn't say anything. She put one tiny finger on the circled area. She might be crazy for wanting to do this, but it was perfect! Even if Santiago never reached America, she still got to go and meet Arnold. She was so excited that she felt butterflies in her stomach as if he was already on the other side of her door. Would he like her? Would they get along? Maybe her and Eduardo could stay a little bit so she could spend some time with him! She wanted to know everything there was to know about him. What his favorite food was, his favorite color, his favorite music, anything that made him happy. From the stories that Eduardo had told her about him, it seemed like they had a lot in common, personality wise. The only main difference was apparently she was more outspoken than Arnold and she had a bit of a sarcastic streak in her when it was called for. She knew in her heart that they would get along great, and hopefully in time, maybe he'd want her in his life permanently? She shook her head, coming back to reality. Her number one concern was to warn Arnold, and then she could worry about her future with him. If he loved her as much as she already loved him, then everything would work out. She folded up the map and put it in her pocket.

She heard the emergency phone ring from the other room. She heard Eduardo answer it, speaking in Spanish. He sounded surprised then worried. She heard him walking quickly towards her bedroom door, opening it without warning.

"We need to leave now. Santiago stole a plane that belonged to LaSombra." Elena saw dark spots in her vision. She gripped her side table, refusing to black out right now. Not when Arnold clearly needed her help.

"I'll be ready in 10 minutes." She said with determination. Eduardo nodded roughly, closing the door. She could hear him practically run to his own room to pack. She threw random articles of clothing in her suitcase, snapping it shut.

"Don't worry, Arnold. I'm coming."

 **Here you are! Just some tidbits of info: 'Conejito' means 'bunny' in Spanish. I thought it was the perfect nickname for Elena considering her personality. This chapter let you look a bit more into Elena and how she basically puts Arnold on a pedestal. And of course, an introduction into Santiago! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! With my job and me taking care of my Australian Shepherd, I'll only be able to post a chapter once every couple of days (a week TOPS), but I will continue to keep everyone updated on this ongoing adventure! I was thinking of putting out some one shots as well (rated G and rated R ;3), so keep a look out for those as well! Until later, my fellow Football heads! xx**


	10. Chapter 10: Concussions and Confessions

**I present to you, Chapter 10! :D Thank you to everyone who's still leaving reviews on this story! It really motivates me to put out chapters more quickly, knowing that it's so well liked! :) I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold, nor the characters. I also do not own the poetry that will be mentioned in this chapter. Poetry belongs to Earl Sherman Braggs!**

Arnold walked to his locker with Gerald, when all of a sudden, he heard gasps and hushed tones spread throughout the hallway. Gerald looked behind Arnold and his eyes were wide as saucers.

"What in the world happened to her?" Gerald asked with a slight quiver in his voice. Arnold furrowed his eyebrows in confusion until he turned around to see what the commotion was about. When he saw what everyone else was seeing, the air quickly escaped his lungs.

Elena was walking down the hallway, sporting a black eye with matching bruises and welts to her forehead and face. She kept her eyes on the ground, not daring to meet anyone in the eye.

Arnold couldn't help but think about last night, when she appeared out of nowhere at his house, warning him of some kind of danger that was directed at him and his friends. After she ran off and he went upstairs to his room, he simply brushed it off as her trying to get his attention in some weird way.

Now he wasn't so sure.

Arnold slammed his locker and rushed over to Elena. She stopped when she recognized Arnold's shoes that were standing in front of her, blocking her way to her classroom. She really didn't want to see the pity in his eyes, but she knew she couldn't just stand there and stare at his shoelaces. She didn't move her head, but she looked up at him, brown eyes meeting green eyes. Arnold gently reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. He noticed that she slightly winced from the contact.

"Elena, what _happened_ to you?" Elena opened her mouth slightly, which gave Arnold the chance to notice that her bottom lip was split badly. Everyone in the hallway at this point was watching this interaction unfold, but none were brave enough to speak a word.

"Nothing, I, I fell." She looked to the side and shrugged off Arnold's hand. She hated not feeling his comfort, but she couldn't play the victim here.

"Elena, you clearly didn't fall," Arnold said sternly, letting her know that he was indeed too smart to be fooled by such a blatant lie. She sighed.

"Arnold, it's really nothing. Please just drop it." She folded her arms, which had tiny scratches all over them. They were red from lack of medical attention. Arnold leaned in closer and replied in a low enough voice to where no one else could hear him.

"Is this about what you told me at my house last night?" Elena's eyes darted up in panic. Arnold knew right then and there that her warnings last night were all too real.

"What do you mean, what she said last night, Football head?" Arnold turned quickly and noticed that Helga had been standing behind him the entire time. How she was able to hear what he told Elena, he didn't know. Everyone else in the hallway heard Helga though, so now all of the girls brought out their cell phones and were texting like the wind, spreading the news like wildfire that there was obviously about to be a showdown.

"Helga, I can explain, but not here." he spread his hands out, gesturing to their nosy peers. Helga had her hands on her hips, a clear indicator that she was upset.

"You don't have to." Helga walked up to Arnold, getting so close to his face that if it wasn't for the current conversation, people would probably think they were about to kiss. Arnold never in his life ever worried that Helga would physically hurt him.

That changed quickly when he saw how her whole body was shaking ever so slightly.

"Helga, please. Look at Elena! She, she's clearly been beat! I'm trying to figure out what happened to her." Helga replied quickly, and without blinking, Arnold noticed.

"What does her shiner have to do with her being at your house past 8 last night?" Helga didn't so much phrase it as a question but as an accusation. Arnold couldn't help but feel hurt by her tone. Did she really think that he would give another girl romantic attention? Especially after what he had shared with her? After what _she_ had shared with _him_? Arnold's shoulders dropped.

"Please don't do this here." Arnold whispered. Helga's eyes suddenly switched from pure anger, to complete devastation. She looked behind Arnold, making eye contact with Elena, then back at him. Arnold knew what she was thinking, and he didn't know how to soothe her without letting other people hear what they didn't need to hear.

"Alright, break it up, break it up! What's all the hubbub about?" Principal Wartz approached Elena, Arnold, and Helga. The tension was so thick in the air, you could've cut it with a dull butter knife.

"That's what I'd like to know too." Rhonda stepped forward and asked with a sly smile on her lips. Helga looked over at her with such a menacing look, Rhonda immediately took a step back.

"Do you have a staring problem, Pataki?" Rhonda said in a not so convincing brave voice.

"No, I'm just trying to make you spontaneously combust." Helga said in a monotone voice. Rhonda gulped as she stepped back beside Nadine.

"Alright, no need for threats Miss Pataki." Principal Wartz commented. He looked over at Elena and his eyebrows shot to the roof.

"My goodness Elena, what happened to you?" the older man couldn't help but make a side glance at Helga. Arnold piped up, not wanting anyone to accuse her.

"She just came to school like this. I was trying to figure out what happened." Elena's face became red, clearly not wanting all of this attention on her.

"I fell into my dresser this morning. I'm fine." Elena said a bit more loudly. It was clear that no one was buying it.

"Come to my office with me, Elena."

The two made their way to the office, leaving Helga and Arnold staring at each other. Gerald, having been by the lockers throughout this entire conundrum, stepped forward.

"You heard the big man! Nothing to see here, go on, get out of here!" Gerald pushed everyone away, and slowly but surely, the crowd dispersed. Arnold shot him an appreciative glance.

"What. Was she doing. At your house. Arnold." Helga paused in between every few words, letting Arnold know that it was her final time asking him.

"Helga, she showed up at my house last night. Right after I walked you home. She said that me and all of my friends and family are in danger. She was warning me. I told her to leave me alone, but she insisted for me to take her seriously. Then today, she shows up looking like a boxers punching bag! I don't think that's a coincidence." Arnold could tell that Helga was starting to believe him, but she was still wary.

"Danger? What kind of danger?" Gerald came up and asked, privacy between the two blondes going out the window.

"She didn't really say. She said for me to meet her in the park today after school for us to talk. But now..." Arnold left the sentence hanging in the air. With her injuries, would she really be bold enough to meet up with him? Helga rolled her eyes and unfolded her arms.

"Ok, so let's just say that what you're saying is true, Bucko. Clearly, she isn't going to tell you anything now that she's been knocked around." Arnold nodded slowly. Before he could reply, they heard the one-minute warning bell for class.

"We'll have to talk after class, guys. Oh, don't forget that today is the presentation for our poetry analysis!" Gerald called out as he booked it down the hall. Helga and Arnold both stopped and looked at each other.

"Oh my god." they both said in unison. Neither of them were one hundred percent prepared for this presentation. They both knew what poem they had chosen, but the analysis part was far from being finished.

"You didn't finish?" Arnold whispered as they both fast walked into the classroom. Helga shook her head quickly. Both of them opened their poetry book up to their respective poem that they had chosen.

 _Here goes nothing_ Helga and Arnold thought simultaneously.

Mr. Simmons walked into the classroom, clearly not his usual peachy self.

"Goodmorning class! I have some rather unfortunate news to share this morning. Elena has been taken to the hospital, regarding some injuries that she had acquired last night. I was told that she has a mild concussion, but is expected to make a full recovery. Until then though, she will not be with us for the time being. After the poetry presentations today, if you'd like to make some "Get Well" cards for her, I'm sure it'd really lift her spirits!"

Murmurs filled the air as Helga and Arnold shared a look with each other. Arnold couldn't help but feel slightly guilty about what happened to Elena. Could he have done something to maybe prevent this from happening to her? Helga noticed how miserable Arnold looked, so while no one else was paying attention, she quickly grabbed her books and moved from the seat behind Phoebe, to the seat behind her beloved. He was so racked with guilt and "what if" thoughts that he hadn't noticed her relocation until Helga put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw that Helga was looking at him with a comforting grin. Without thinking, he grabbed Helga's hand and gave it a quick chaste kiss. She blushed from her neck to her hairline, gently pulling her hand back. She honestly didn't even care if anyone else saw.

"Ok, who would like to go first?" Of course, no one volunteered. Arnold had a distinct feeling that hardly anyone was ready to present their report.

"Alright, how about you Arnold?"

Arnold gulped as he grabbed his book and his paper, which only had about a paragraph on it.

 _Look's like I'll be winging this._

Arnold got up to the front of the class, setting his book and paper on a podium of sorts. He looked up at the classroom and took a deep breath.

"I chose the poem, 'In Which Language Do I Keep Silent' because as Mr. Simmons said before, it kind of spoke to me in a way." he cleared his throat and continued.

"Um, on page 155, the third stanza reads, _'It's a funny thing how books can be read upside down and maps get us most lost. I know this much from experience.'_ This is a premise to what I took from this poem. He clearly states that he's been feeling lost, even when he's tried things that have been known to specifically help people who needed to find their own way." Arnold gained confidence as he continued speaking. The majority of the class appeared to be somewhat interested, but Arnold couldn't help but notice that Helga's eyes were glued to him as if he were the only living thing in the room. He couldn't help but feel butterflies in his stomach caused by her gaze.

"He goes on to say, a few stanzas down, _'I know the shortest distance between us is a straight line. I want to leap with you but not tonight because when I divide the time of day into the time I've known you,'_ " Arnold couldn't help his eyes that flickered to Helga, _"'multiplied by the number of times you've crossed my mind lately, the answer is way too early to tell what I'm feeling.'_ Clearly, he's expressing that someone has come into his life that has made him confused about his feelings. He can't stop thinking about her and he says how he wants to dance with her. But towards the end, he tries to rationalize his feelings. He compares his mental process to an equation. In Math, there is always a clear answer. If you work an equation out correctly, you will always get the one and only correct answer. So perhaps he's trying to work his feelings out like an equation, hoping that he will get a true answer to how he feels about this woman."

By this point, most of his classmates had their full attention on Arnold and what he was saying. Helga could feel her heart beat so loud that she was sure everyone else in the class could hear it. She knew who he was referencing, and all she wanted to do was run up front and embrace him.

"He continues to explain that soon, this woman is all he thinks about. While he eats, while he sleeps, while he breaths, she is always there." Arnold closed the book because the next part he had memorized by heart.

 _"'Would you teach me to dance to the unexplained, deliberate as the unexplored dances to the patterns of treasure maps? Would you teach me to close my eyes when I kiss?'"_ Arnold versed, verbatim what the poem read. By the end of the stanza, he took another glancing sweep of the room, just so he could look at Helga without anyone being the wiser. Helga was looking at him with so much passion in her eyes that he thought he would melt on the spot.

"It's to my understanding that..." Arnold let the fractured sentence fall off his lips. He knew that the rest of the classroom simply saw this as a poetry analysis. But Helga was seeing this as something so much more.

It was a confession of his feelings.

He looked to his paper, avoiding eye contact with anyone. He suddenly felt so nervous that he could've thrown up. Did he really know what he felt? He looked up at Helga's look of pure unrequited love, and it was like he was hit by a truck.

 _"What else are you supposed to do when someone you love is in trouble?"_

 _"Wait, don't touch him!"_

 _"Helga! Are you ok? Say something!"_

 _"Oh, Arnold, I'm fine as long as you're near me! Your honest eyes, so full of concern, and love-"_

 _"I guess you could say I love, I love..."_

 _"I think you're... okay. I mean, you're a real okay, guy, and I think you're okay."_

 _"Thanks, Helga, you're okay, too."_

 _"Then why'd you kiss me for so long?"_

 _"Happy Thanksgiving, Helga."_

 _"Sorry I didn't listen to you Helga, I guess you were really just trying to be my friend."_

 _"And well I figured it was the right thing to do; I mean she was taking advantage of you and I couldn't just-"_

 _"I think your hearts more pure than you know."_

Arnold suddenly had the feeling that his legs wouldn't be able to support him much longer. Helga had been giving him signs that she was in love with him his entire life, and he never noticed.

 _You noticed, you just refused to acknowledge it,_ his subconsious corrected him.

He thought back to when Helga protected him from Harold when he was sure that he was about to have the snot beat out of him. She was there for him when Summer used him to try and win a contest. She was absolutely there all the time, and he never put two and two together. With that, he also realized his own feelings. Sure, Helga's passionate love for Arnold was a bit too heavy for him right now. But he knew, without a doubt, as he stood in front of his class that his feelings for Helga were stronger than a crush. His heart about fell out of his chest when she fell into the water during the flood they had while rescuing Mr. Simmons. He remembered them spending Thanksgiving together that one year that they both were having family problems.

He never wanted any harm to come to Helga, even though she always teased him. If anything, he was always oddly protective of her. When Big Patty was planning on beating Helga up, Arnold did everything in his power to convince her not to hurt Helga. At the time, he chalked it up to him not wanting to see another person getting hurt. Now he realized that the thought of someone hurting Helga not only terrified him but also made him a bit angry.

 _"Helga's in danger, too."_

He thought back to Elena's warning, and now all he wanted to do was follow her to the hospital and get all the information he could from her. He needed to know how to protect everyone he loved. Including Helga.

He had feelings for her long before now. It wasn't because she helped rescue his parents or because she revealed her secret of loving him. He loved her because of who she was. Sure, she was rough around the edges, but he had witnessed firsthand how Helga was not only a nice person deep down, but she was thoughtful and brave when needed. She took no gripe from anyone. She was extremely independent, unlike the other girls he knew. She was her own form of beast and Arnold secretly admired that about her.

Arnold knew what he wanted to say. He felt his tongue try to shape the words, but they got stuck in his teeth, refusing to come out. He gripped the podium and brought up every ounce of bravery he had in him.

"...It's my understanding that he loved this woman. He loved her and it took him a bit of time to realize that." Arnold spoke barely above a whisper, but he knew the class heard him. Sheena was wiping some fallen tears that had escaped. Rhonda looked completely flabbergasted at what her classmate just expressed. Gerald gave him a knowing look, a smirk was hiding on his face. Sid, Stinky, and Harold all looked like they were about to throw up from how 'hokey' the poem was.

Helga had a hand over her mouth, while in complete shock.

Arnold's attention was broken when the class erupted in loud applause. Mr. Simmons stood up from his desk, dotting at the corners of his eyes with his handkerchief.

"Oh, Arnold! That was so beautiful! And such a deep understanding of this poem!" Arnold, suddenly feeling bashful, walked back to his desk. Next, it was Sid's turn, and as he began to stutter his way through his presentation, Arnold felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked over and saw that Helga was handing him a note. He took it and quickly unfolded it.

 ** _If I didn't know any better Football head, I would think you just told me you've fallen for me lol ;)_**

Arnold smiled as he wrote back. He turned around to hand it to her and didn't expect to see that Helga looked absolutely terrified. What did she have to be afraid of? Maybe he shouldn't have expressed his feelings in such a public place. Sure, no one else in class really knew his double meaning, but none the less it was still risky.

Helga held onto the note firmly as she took in a shaky breath. Did Arnold just tell her that he loved her? Of course, no one else in class noticed his underlying meaning, but Helga sure did. Or was it her imagination? Was she trying to see something that wasn't there? If Arnold indirectly told her that he loved her, all she wanted to do was leave the classroom and scream happily somewhere. She knew that whatever he wrote back to her, would confirm if she was correct or not. She had to ask him in a joking way, as to be able to laugh it off if he rejected her. She felt her muscles go tense as she daintily unfolded the note as if it would evaporate if she did it any quicker. Arnold's neat handwriting stood out against the paper, and as she read his reply, she couldn't help but let out a small cry. Everyone in the classroom looked at her.

"Helga? Is everything ok?" Mr. Simmons asked. Sid looked relieved that something had interrupted his trainwreck of a presentation. Helga's whole body felt like the sensation her leg had when it fell asleep on her. It felt like tv static, but all over her body. Was she having a stroke? She knew she had to get out of the classroom, pronto.

"Um, actually Mr. Simmons, I'm not feeling too well. Can someone take me to the nurse?" Helga took a glance at Arnold and he knew what she wanted. Arnold raised his hand.

"I'll take her, Mr. Simmons!" Before their teacher could give permission, both students stood up and made their way to the door.

"O-Ok Helga! You can just do your presentation tomorrow! I hope you get to feeling better!" Mr. Simmons waved her off as the students left the room in a hurry.

Phoebe was pretty sure she knew what rattled Helga, but she couldn't help but notice that whatever note was being passed between the two of them had dropped to the ground. She inconspicuously leaned down and grabbed the note. She couldn't help but smile as she read the few sentences that were there.

 ** _If I didn't know any better Football head, I would think you just told me you've fallen for me lol ;)_**

 ** _Helga, I actually fell for you before I even realized I did._**

 **Ahhh! :D So much fluff, so much angst! I seriously had so much fun writing this chapter. Arnold finally realized that deep down, he truly does love Helga. No, it's not at the "obsessive" level that Helga's at, but it's still love all the same :) I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It shouldn't be too much longer of a wait for the next chapter, so don't be too bummed at the cliffhanger ;) The next chapter begins with Arnold and Helga having a conversation in the hallway as soon as they leave the classroom, so it'll pick up right where this one left off! Until next time, my fellow Football heads! xx**


	11. Chapter 11: So, Dinner?

**I'm back! :D This is another "long" chapter, compared to my earlier ones. So we left off with Arnold escorting Helga out of the classroom after he just revealed that he loved her! :O How's Helga going to react? Read on to find out! Thank you to everyone that continues to post such sweet reviews! I really appreciate the support :) I hope everyone enjoys!**

 **Again, I do not own Hey Arnold or the characters! Just the plot :)**

Helga and Arnold made their way out of the classroom, Helga holding onto her stomach partly for acting purposes, and partly because she really felt like she was going to vomit. Her nerves were absolutely wired and she was still seeing black dots around her vision.

 _Oh please don't let me pass out. Now of all times!_ Helga prayed to whatever or whoever would be listening.

As soon as they were both out of hearing range of Mr. Simmons classroom, Helga leaned against a wall to calm her racing heart. She put her hands on her knees and hung her head trying to steady her breathing. She had always dreamt of Arnold telling her that he loved her, and she always imagined it to be romantic and perfect! She would jump in his arms and kiss him and hold him while she whispered sweet nothings in his ear.

Instead, she was borderline dry heaving in her school hallway, Arnold staring at her, clearly worried.

"Um, Helga are you ok?" His voice was small and meek, like a child asking his mom if he could have a cookie before dinner. Helga brought her head up, hands still on her knees, back against the wall.

"Honestly Football head, I don't know. Don't get me wrong, I've waited years for this moment. Now that it's happened though, I don't know if I want to faint, cry, scream, or all of the above." Helga sounded like she just finished running a marathon. Even though Arnold was still slightly worried, he couldn't help but admire her reaction.

"I wouldn't suggest any of those while standing in a school hallway." Arnold half-joked. He heard Helga let out a humorless chuckle, and he was relieved that he was able to joke with her at a time like this.

"I'm uh, I'm sorry that I...expressed that in such a public place. I'm sure you were picturing it going a bit differently." Arnold rubbed the back of his neck nervously. I'm sure Helga wanted that moment to be romantic and special, and he felt kinda bad that it didn't turn out that way. Helga straightened herself up, but the brick wall was still supporting her body.

"Ya think, Arnaldo?" Helga couldn't bring herself to jump and squeal like a little girl. She still wasn't sure if what happened was actually real. Arnold took a step closer to her.

"I really am sorry. How about we discuss it over dinner tonight?" Arnold shrugged, trying to play it off like it was no big deal. In all reality though, it _was_ a big deal. He just realized that he actually loved Helga. It felt like he was in a dream though, like what was happening wasn't _really_ happening. He was happy that he was done untangling his feelings for her, but now came another mountain to climb: convincing Helga that his feelings were true. Arnold had learned to observe Helga a lot more since San Lorenzo. In that time, he learned that Helga wouldn't believe much of anything without hardcore proof. A poem and confession innuendos weren't enough to prove to her that his feelings were legit.

Then again, proving it to her with a romantic dinner wasn't really a problem.

Helga felt a small genuine smile form on her face. Was Arnold actually asking her out? Surely she was dreaming.

"Whatever floats your boat, Football head." she replied, crossing her arms. Arnold gave her the half-lidded smile that always made her knees weak.

 _Criminey WHY does he have to do that?!_

Arnold looped his arm through her folded arm as he guided her down the hallway.

"Where are you taking me?" Helga asked, baffled. Arnold shrugged innocently.

"You're not feeling good, remember Helga? And unfortunately, I don't have the equipment to play Nurse right now." Helga about tripped over her own feet once Arnold sent her a sly wink. She let out a nervous high pitched laugh.

"Ehehehe, funny." She mumbled.

They made their way to the nurse, who was putting a band-aid on the knee of a 3rd grader.

"Hello! I'll be with you in just a moment!" the nurse called out as she was filling out a note. Arnold and Helga took a seat over by the window while they waited. The 3rd grader left with a yellow sticky note in hand, and a Spiderman band-aid on his knee. The redheaded nurse approached Arnold and Helga with a kind smile on her face.

"Alright, so who's my patient?" Arnold pointed to Helga right when she raised her hand. The nurse immediately put the back of her hand to Helga's forehead.

"Hmm. You don't feel warm. What're your symptoms?" Helga looked at Arnold and he just stared at her expectingly.

"I um, I'm feeling kind of sick," Helga said to the ground. The nurse let out another 'hmm'.

"Alright, follow me and we'll get you looked at. Would you like to stay here or head on back to class?" she said as she turned her attention to Arnold.

"I'll stay here and make sure she's alright if that's ok." Arnold folded his hands patiently. The nurse gave him a knowing smile.

"That's perfectly fine. I'll bring her back in just a moment."

Once the nurse lead Helga to her small office, Arnold stood up and looked around the room out of boredom. He saw a framed picture of the nurse holding a diploma of some sort. According to the picture, her name was Grace Elliot. Arnold continued to meander through the "waiting room" of sorts, looking at the posters on the wall. One had a cartoon bandaid on it with eyes and a smile that was saying _"Safety first, so you won't need me!"_ Arnold rolled his eyes as he made his way back to his chair. Even though he was still a child, he sometimes found things too juvenile. Within ten minutes, Helga emerged with Nurse Elliot.

"I took her temperature and it was perfect, but she insists that she's not feeling well so I'm going to go ahead and send her home, just in case. I tried calling her parents but no one answered." Helga looked somewhat embarrassed that no one answered the phone, and Arnold recognized it.

"I could walk her home. I just need a note to get out of class for our teacher." The nurse went back to her office and wrote something on a yellow sticky note.

"Hand this to your teacher before you two leave. It excuses both of your absences." Arnold grabbed it and put it in his pocket.

"Thank you, Nurse Elliot." Arnold put an arm around Helga's waist and even though it was barely touching her, he still felt tingles through his shirt.

"Oh, it's Nurse Browning." she replied sweetly, holding up her hand, revealing a shiny diamond ring. She gave them a kind smile as she walked them out to the hallway.

"Oh, it's Nurse Brooowwninggg." Helga mocked as they walked side by side. Arnold couldn't help but laugh.

"So she didn't find anything wrong with you?" Arnold asked as they slowly made their way back to their classroom. Helga shrugged.

"Well doi, Arnaldo." Arnold put his arm down from her waist as soon as they left the nurses room, but he kind of missed it. He didn't feel brave enough to put his arm back, so he sufficed for grabbing her hand. She looked down at their conjoined hands and then back at him. He gave her a sweet smile that Helga couldn't help but return.

"So uh, you don't really have to walk me home. Obviously, I'm healthy as a horse. I think I can handle it." Arnold nodded and squeezed her hand just hard enough for her to notice.

"I never doubt that you can handle anything, Helga." With that, Helga didn't really know what to say. So they continued their walk in comfortable silence.

After Arnold went in and delivered the note, Helga and he walked hand in hand all the way to her place. Both of them couldn't help but think back to when Helga lost her memory and Arnold had to hold her hand to help guide her safely.

 _"What is this clear wall blocking us from outside?"_

 _"It's a door. I'll get it for you."_

Arnold couldn't help but think back to that happening. He felt so guilty that he made Helga lose her memory. He was, admittingly, upset that he felt it was his responsibility to look after her until she regained her memories. One would think that he would've enjoyed Helga's company _more so_ because she stopped picking on him. Secretly though, he had missed the old Helga. He missed her spunk and her attitude. Maybe not the spitballs, but her fire is what made her who she was.

Once they approached her front steps, they stopped and glanced at each other.

"Helga, I don't want you to feel pressured to come over for dinner tonight. I know that what happened today...was a lot to process." Arnold dropped her hand so he could put both of his hands behind his back.

"Yeah, well it's not every day that I hear you tell me you l.." Helga tried to get the last word to come out, but it was like her tongue couldn't form the word.

"That I love you?" Arnold leaned forward slightly. His stomach turned into knots suddenly. It was the first time he straightforward said it. Somehow, it was easier to admit his feelings through poetry. Now that he had said it out loud and blatantly direct, the reality of it really sunk it.

He loved Helga. He really loved her.

It was such a foreign feeling for him, but it was oddly comforting. He had never had feelings for a girl and have them return the feelings. True, he never loved Lila or Ruth, but it was still painful to know that his feelings weren't reciprocated. He had always wondered why his romantic ventures came up fruitless. Turned out that someone was head over heels in love with him for years and he never knew.

In his defense though, it was kinda hard to notice, what with all of the spitballs and name calling.

Helga opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, not really knowing what to say. Again, she had imagined this moment her whole life. Now that it was happening, she was so frazzled that she had to work hard to make her lungs work.

"Um...yeah." Helga looked to the ground, kicking at imaginary dust. She loathed that she didn't have enough courage to at least reply with an 'I love you, too'. Arnold had a feeling that she wasn't feeling uncomfortable, but she was actually being shy.

 _Well, today's a day for all kind's of new feelings._ Arnold thought wistfully. 'Shy' is the last adjective he would put with Helga G. Pataki.

"Point taken. If it bothers you, I don't have to say it-"

"No!" Helga interrupted, holding a hand up. She collected herself, clearing her throat and putting on a light scowl.

"I, I mean, it doesn't matter to me, Football head." Arnold couldn't help but chuckle at Helga's 'recovery'. He knew he had a long road ahead, getting Helga to open up to him completely. He knew it'd be worth it though. He had seen the heart behind Helga's angry facade, and he would try anything to get that part of her to come out more. Not just for him, but for herself as well. He knew that she would lead a happier life if she would just put down her walls a bit at a time.

"Whatever you say, Helga." he leaned forward and gave her a kiss right at the corner of her mouth. As much as he wanted to kiss her for real, he wanted their next kiss to be absolutely perfect. His first "I love you" to Helga wasn't perfect, or romantic even, but he was determined that their next kiss would be. It would be everything that Helga dreamt of because he wanted nothing more than for her to be happy and content. His happiness mattered too, of course, and him being comfortable was a priority as well. He knew though that a simple romantic dinner would be fine for him, and he knew that it would be more than enough for Helga.

Helga had a dreamy smile on her face, her hand flying to her face. The spot where Arnold kissed her was tingly and slightly burning, but it was one of the best feelings ever.

 _Say something, you nutcase!_

Helga didn't really know what to say, and she wasn't brave enough to kiss him back, so she pulled him in for a quick hug. Even though it felt kind of awkward, both kids enjoyed the contact.

"So...dinner?" Helga pulled away but kept her hands on his shoulders. Her voice was a bit higher in tone and a bit lighter. Arnold put on a grin that showed his teeth, relieved that Helga accepted his dinner offer.

"Absolutely! Um, I could pick you up at around 7 tonight?" Arnold cocked his head as Helga put her arms down.

"Sounds good to me! Don't be late!" Helga wagged a fist in his face gently, and Arnold rolled his eyes. Some habits die hard.

"Don't worry, Helga. I won't be late. You have my word." He walked past her as she made her way towards her front door. As soon as Helga made her way inside her apartment, Arnold turned around and started walking down the street in the opposite direction.

"But first, I need to make a quick stop." Arnold said to himself as he made his way to the hospital. He needed information and he needed it now.

Arnold was so wrapped up in planning out tonight's dinner in his head, that before he knew it he was standing in front of the hospital sliding doors. He walked inside and walked up to the receptionist. She had bright blonde hair, lighter than Helgas, and was wearing Barbie pink lipstick. She glanced up from her papers and noticed a kid with an oddly shaped head in front of her.

"May I help you?" the woman asked, folding her fingers underneath her jaw.

"Um, a classmate of mine was admitted this morning with a concussion. Her name is Elena Vasquez." The nurse turned and began furiously typing away at her computer.

"Yes, I see her in our system. I'm guessing you're here to visit her?" Arnold nodded.

"Wait. Is your name Arnold, by chance?" He looked puzzled and gently nodded.

"Um yeah. How'd you know?"

"When she got here, she said that you would probably stop by and to let you back there. She told us you were family so you can go ahead and go see her." Arnold felt even more confused. Family? Arnold not only wasn't family to Elena, but he had just met her. Why would she tell them that he was family? Instead of correcting the woman, he went along with it.

"Oh, Ok."

"She's in room B14. Go down the hallway, take a right and she'll be the second door down on the left side." She pushed a button which made the door let out a loud buzz sound. Arnold gave her a 'thank you' and wasted no time in getting to Elena's room. He followed the woman's directions precisely and found the room with no trouble. The door was open, but the curtains were drawn.

"Um, Elena? Are you awake? It's Arnold." He heard movement and then a voice.

"Yeah, come on in." Arnold pulled the curtains back and saw Elena, who was laying in a snow white hospital bed, wearing a blue and grey checkered gown. Her hair was up in a messy bun on top of her head. Her bottom lip had swelled up a bit more from the split that Arnold noticed at school. Her eye was a darker blue, but she looked a bit cleaner and more 'put together'. Arnold sat in the uncomfortable chair that was beside her bed.

"How're you feeling?" he asked after an awkward silence. Elena shrugged, examining her bed sheets in front of her, playing with a loose thread.

"Ok. Well, considering..." Arnold frowned a bit deeper at Elena's melancholy tone.

"Um, the receptionist up front said that you were expecting me?" Elena nodded.

"Yeah, I figured that me being in the hospital wouldn't stop you from wanting answers." Arnold's guilt multiplied tenfold. He honestly didn't even think about if Elena wanted to be left alone right now. He was so focused on needing answers, he didn't give it a second thought on seeing her.

"I, I'm so sorry. If you want me to leave-"

"No! That's not necessary. I mean, you're already here." Elena's tone went from panic to calm in just a matter of a sentence. Arnold took a deep breath and nodded.

"So. What do you want to know?" Elena folded her hands together and put them in her lap. Arnold scooted his chair closer to her bed.

"Well, when I got here, the receptionist said that you told them that I was family..." Elena nodded.

"Yeah, I knew that they would only allow relatives to see me right now, so I said that you were family. I hope that was ok?" Arnold held up his hands. Even though Arnold and Elena couldn't look any more different if they tried, he was surprised that the nurses bought her ludicrous claim.

"Oh yeah! Sure, I didn't think of that." Elena gave a small giggle.

"You're fine, Arnold." He let out a chuckle, leaning forward, putting his elbows on his knees.

"Ok, well, I think you know what my next question is." Elena's face fell at that. She knew why he came, but for some reason, she was hoping that he wouldn't bring it up. She was kind of hoping he was just there to see her and check on her. Which he did ask how she was doing before he started firing off questions, but it still kinda bummed her. She knew that his main purpose of visiting was to get answers. Of course, she couldn't blame him for being worried about his loved ones. When she found out Arnold was in danger she got on a plane and flew straight to Hillwood with no second thought about it.

"Yeah." Elena really didn't want to put her or Arnold in any more danger by talking about this. Arnold patiently waited for her to explain. Right when he didn't think she was going to say anything, she looked up at him with dark wet eyes.

"I shouldn't have told you anything. I should've tried to protect you from a distance like I originally planned. But once I saw you, I knew right away that you had a right to know what was happening." Arnold not only wasn't satisfied with this answer, but it gave him even more questions.

"It's not your place to protect me from anything. Did you get hurt because you talked to me?" Elena turned her head away, but still slightly nodded.

"Elena, you need to tell the police who did this to you." Elena whipped her head back and shook her head in a panic.

"Absolutely not. He jumped me for talking to you. If I talked to the police-" Arnold waved his hand to stop her.

"Wait, wait, wait. 'He'? Who is 'he'?" Elena's eyes widened, kicking herself for the informational slip.

"Arnold-"

"Elena, this guy is obviously dangerous. He needs to pay for what he did to you." He said a bit more sternly. He couldn't help but let some anger seep into his tone. For some reason, he wasn't thinking about the fact that this guy was threatening him and his family. All he could think about was the fact that this guy physically hurt Elena, and now all he wanted was to see him in handcuffs.

"Arnold, you don't understand."

"No I don't so why don't you enlighten me?"

"I can't!" Elena's heart monitor started to beep, detecting her rising pulse. A doctor came in, drawing the curtains quickly.

"Is everything ok?" He went to Elena, almost shoving Arnold out of the way.

"Yeah, I'm fine Doctor Graham. He was just leaving." Elena mumbled. The doctor looked at Arnold.

"Alright, let's let her get some rest." Arnold took another glance towards Elena as he was ushered out. She mouthed 'I'm sorry' as the doctor pulled the curtains closed.

Arnold dragged his feet leaving the hospital. He was so irritated and depressed that Elena wouldn't give him practically any information. Why did she feel responsible for protecting Arnold? It also added suspicion that she arrived and suddenly she was warning him of imminent danger. Where did she come from? He lived in Hillwood his entire life and he had never seen her before.

 _Maybe I need to investigate_ _ **her**_ _first._

Arnold thought of Gerald, thinking back to when they looked into their towns butcher and the 'hit' that had been called on him. True, it didn't end up to be a hit, but rather a surprise birthday party, but he and Gerald still worked well together. Maybe Gerald would be willing to help look into Elena's past.

Right now though, he had a romantic dinner to prepare.

Elena laid in her hospital bed, wiping away at her tears that had escaped once Arnold left. She wanted to tell Arnold everything, but after the beating she got, she knew she couldn't risk him knowing anything more than he already knew. She heard the curtains being drawn and looked up.

"How're you doing, Conejito?" Eduardo asked as he returned with a cup of water for Elena and a Coca-Cola for himself.

"You just missed Arnold." she stated as she began to sip at her water. Eduardo nodded and looked at the can he was holding.

"Maybe that's a good thing." Elena looked up at Eduardo's comment.

"Maybe." Elena sniffled, which resulted in Eduardo giving her the best hug he could give her since she was wired up in a hospital bed.

"Everything will work out. I promise. You'll see." Eduardo wiped away a single tear with his calloused thumb. Elena gave him a small smile, feeling somewhat encouraged by his words.

 **Alright and there you have it! :D Did you really think I wouldn't bring up Eduardo again? Well, I did! *snaps in a Z formation* ;D I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I'm trying my best to keep everyone in character so I hope I'm succeeding! Leave a review and let me know what you think so far! Do you have any predictions? Anything you hope to see in this story? Let me know! Until next time, my fellow Football heads! xx**


	12. Chapter 12: Romeo and Galaxies

**Hello! :D I'm here with the newest chapter! I know I sound like a broken record, but THANK YOU to everyone that is leaving reviews, favoriting either myself or my story! It really means a lot :') Before I start the chapter, I just wanted to send out a 'check up' to anyone that lives on the coast of the U.S. that is being affected by Hurricane Florence! D: I hope everyone is safe!**

"I knew that poetry analysis was too emotional! That's amazing, Helga!" Phoebe squealed over the phone. Helga had her on speaker while she rummaged through her closet to find the perfect outfit for tonight's dinner.

"Yeah yeah yeah it's a dream come true, but now I have to have dinner with him tonight and I have nothing to wear!" Helga threw pink dress after pink dress on her bed, nothing looking fancy enough for a first dinner date with her beloved.

"Do you have any allowance saved up? You could run to the store and get you a nice outfit!" Helga groaned and plopped on her bed surrounded by a sea of pink, head in hands.

"No such luck, Pheebz. I'm pretty sure the weird Pigeon man has more money than me at this point." Helga couldn't remember the last time Bob gave her allowance. It didn't really ever bother her because she never had a desire to buy anything, until now at least.

"Wait! Helga, I have a light blue dress at my house that you left over here a few years ago! It's the sparkly one that Olga bought for you, remember?" Helga perked up as she thought back. Olga bought her this really sparkly turquoise dress whilst she was in France teaching children to speak English. Helga gave it to Phoebe because it was too "fru-fru" for her.

"Phoebe you're a genius!" Helga glanced at her clock at the wall. It was 6:20. She only had 40 minutes until Arnold would pick her up.

"Do you think you can get here?" Helga anxiously asked. She heard a muffling sound on Phoebe's end.

"I'm grabbing the dress now!"

"Perfect. Please hurry Phoebe!"

"Hurrying!" As soon as Phoebe clicked off, Helga went to her bathroom and took a glance in the mirror. Until Phoebe showed up, she could at least try to figure out what she would do with her hair. Should she wear makeup? She didn't want to overdo it or seem desperate. She wanted to impress Arnold though! She didn't want to look like she didn't try to look special for tonight, but she also didn't want to look like a drag queen.

"Criminey what am I gonna do?" Helga exclaimed into her reflection. She looked at her unibrow and knew that she couldn't do much with that. Even if she tried to wax it, she didn't want to risk doing a butcher job on it. Arnold would surely get his 20 seconds of chuckles in before he could even say 'Hello'. She decided to wear her hair in a low ponytail, with it sweeping off her shoulder. Her hair had finally grown enough for it to go over her shoulder and stay there. She snuck into Olga's room and went through her makeup that she had left here when she moved. She also grabbed a couple of fashion magazines and hauled towards the bathroom. She shut the door and prayed for a miracle.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Meanwhile, at Arnold's house, he was putting on the same suit that he wore when he took Helga to the April Fools dance. Gerald was sitting on his pullout couch while Arnold was straightening his tie.

"Mmm mmm mm. I cannot believe that you and Helga Pataki are going on a date." Arnold turned around and walked towards his cologne that he had swiped from his dad.

"Well, I did tell you about me and Helga, Gerald. What did you think would happen? Plus you uh...saw what happened in San Lorenzo..." Gerald stood up, hands on hips.

"You mean when you two locked lips for a good 15 seconds?" Arnold felt a blush creep up his neck.

"Uh yeah. That." He pumped two tiny sprays on both sides of his neck.

"The real question is, are you gonna tell her about our secret investigation we'll be doing on Elena?" Arnold looked at his shiny black shoes in thought. He really did want to tell Helga about his mission of discovering Elena's past. Would she understand though? He really didn't want Helga to be mad at him so quickly after their new milestone in their relationship. He also didn't want to keep any secrets from her, too. He knew the right thing to do would be to tell Helga. Did it have to be tonight, though?

"Can't I tell her tomorrow, Gerald? I really wanted tonight's conversation to be focused on...well...us." Arnold checked his watch. 6:45 p.m.

"All I'm saying is that you _really_ don't want Helga to find out on her own. Because you're a clear-cut dead man if she does." Gerald stepped back and looked at Arnold. He definitely looked sharp, he had to admit.

"Yeah. I'll tell her first thing tomorrow." Gerald sighed and shrugged.

"Whatever you say, man. I gotta run home and you have a girl to pick up so I'm gonna go ahead and split." Both boys did their special handshake as Gerald was leaving.

"Alright, Gerald. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Gerald waved as he shut the door. Arnold quickly climbed up his ladder by his bed, his head poking up above his glass ceiling. He checked to see if everything was perfect and ready. It almost was.

The only thing missing was a certain girl.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Helga, you look beautiful!" Phoebe said in a muffled tone, caused by her hands covering her mouth in shock. Helga really did look amazing. She was wearing the sparkly light blue dress that went to her knees, black flats (she had a flashback to falling in her heels when she played Cecile with Arnold), her shiny blonde hair draped over her shoulder. She still decided not to touch her unibrow, but she added a nice light smokey eye makeup with a clear gloss to tie it all together. She still had her bow in her hair, but now it was what tied her ponytail together. She looked in the mirror and couldn't quite believe that she did that well on her makeup. Her smokey makeup and the blue dress really made her eyes stand out. Maybe Arnold wouldn't mind the unibrow since everything else about her was dolled up?

"Eh, it'll due. I've definitely looked worse, that's for sure." She turned around and faced Phoebe.

"It's 6:55. He'll be here soon, so I perhaps should be going." Helga felt panicked out of nowhere from the thought of Phoebe leaving her. Helga realized that this was her first real date with Arnold. She didn't have her mom to comfort her and to reassure her. Olga was in Europe studying Culinary Arts so she was out. Helga only had Phoebe to calm her nerves and she wasn't ready to let her go just yet.

"You don't have to leave just yet, Phoebe! Can you just stay here until he comes? After we leave, you can sneak out and go home." Phoebe could tell that Helga's nerves were shot, so she graciously nodded. Helga took a sigh of relief.

"My stomach feels like it's tied in knots. What if I hurl? What if I don't know what to say?" Phoebe walked Helga downstairs to the kitchen so they could both get a drink of water. Helga more so, really.

"You'll be fine, Helga! I'm willing to bet that Arnold is just as nervous. Once you both sit down and talk, you'll relax and be more comfortable." Helga nodded as she sipped her ice water.

"Thank you, Phoebe. I know I don't get this mushy a lot, so don't get used to it, but... I really don't know what I'd do without you." Helga nearly whispered. Phoebe smiled ear to ear and gave Helga a tight hug.

"You're my best friend, Helga. There's nowhere else I'd rather be." As Helga hugged her back, the doorbell rang abruptly. Helga nearly jumped out of her skin. Phoebe took a glance at the front door, then back to Helga.

"Just breath, Helga. Everything will be fine." Helga took a staggering breath as she walked towards the door, Phoebe running upstairs. When Helga opened the door, she almost swallowed her now dry tongue. Arnold looked absolutely _perfect_. She was pretty sure he was wearing the same suit from the April Fools dance. His eyes sparkled and his smile sent shivers down her spine. She could stare at him for hours if he would let her.

Or if he didn't think it'd be very creepy.

Arnold looked at Helga from head to toe. He didn't feel weak in the knees or even faint. He had one thought and one thought only.

 _He really wanted to kiss her._

He almost had to grab the doorframe to keep himself from crowding her. The kitchen light in the back gave her an angelic glow around her body. The streetlight showed off how her dress sparkled and her hair shined like silk. She was looking very shy, holding one arm awkwardly, scuffing her shoe on the ground while he took her beauty in. Wait a minute.

Was Helga G. Pataki wearing _makeup_?

Arnold realized that he had been staring at her, without saying anything for about 10 seconds now. He cleared his throat and loosened his tie slightly. For some reason, his entire suit seemed a bit too tight on him now.

"Wow, H, Helga. You look... beautiful." She looked stunned from the compliment but quickly gathered herself. She could've sworn she heard Phoebe giggle upstairs, but ignored it.

"Ehehe thanks, Football head. You look uh...pretty snazzy yourself."

 _'You look pretty snazzy'? Have you lost your marbles, Helga?!_

Arnold looked down at his suit, looked up and gave Helga an appreciative smile. He was glad to know that the extra effort he put into looking good didn't go unnoticed. He extended an arm down the stairs.

"Shall we?" Arnold said in his most suave voice. Helga had to restrain from giggling like a schoolgirl. She had to get herself together! She hadn't even walked outside and Arnold was already making her feel like melting.

"Well I don't want to stand here all night, that's for sure." Helga closed the door and as she was walking down the stairs, she felt the slight touch of Arnold's hand on her lower back. She was so happy that she chose the flats instead of heels because if she hadn't, she would've fallen and ate gravel from the electric shock that went up against her vertebrae. They started the walk to Sunset Arms quietly, but peacefully. Right before they turned the corner to get to the boarding house, Arnold decided to speak up.

"I hope you like lasagna. It's uh, the only thing grandma has really taught me how to cook so far." Helga looked at him incredulously.

"Wait a minute Bucko. _You_ cooked the dinner?" Arnold stopped and looked at her confusingly.

"Of course I did, Helga. Why do you sound surprised?"

"I don't know, I figured your parents or your grandma would be doing the cooking. I never really took you as a 'cooking type'." Arnold gave her a small smile and grabbed her hand, dragging her from where she stood.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Helga."

 _Oh my love, I cannot wait to know everything I can about you! Of course, you cooked our perfect meal for us! Whatever gave me the idea that you didn't cook our romantic dinner?!_

Helga shook her head to get rid of the dreamy look on her face. Hopefully, Arnold didn't catch it.

Arnold smiled smugly when he caught Helga's lovesick facial expression. If cooking dinner impressed her, he's pretty sure the rest of the night would be absolutely amazing.

Arnold and Helga stepped to the side as he opened the front door, a heard of animals stampeding out of the building.

"One would think by now that you would leave the animals outside." Helga said jokingly. Arnold guided her inside and closed the door.

"Eh, you get used to it." Arnold was about to guide Helga up the stairs when an abrupt voice stopped them.

"Hey, Shortman! Oh, I see you've got company." Phil wiggled his eyebrows and winked at Arnold as if Helga weren't standing right there.

"Uh, yeah. Me and Helga will be having dinner upstairs if that's alright."

Phil's "You are?" and Helga's "We are?" were said at the same time. Arnold just put out a nervous chuckle.

"Eleanor! So glad to see you again!" Grandma did a barrel roll, entering the hallway wearing a ninja outfit. Helga couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, great to see you too Jackie Chan." Helga joked. Arnold blushed a deep scarlet.

"Now Pookie, we don't want to embarrass Arnold in front of his girlfriend, alright?" Arnold facepalmed as Helga audibly gulped.

"Grandpa..." Phil obviously didn't take the hint.

"Don't worry, Shortman. I'll make sure Pookie doesn't interrupt you and your girlfriends little dinner date. You two go ahead and run upstairs." Before Helga could say anything, Arnold took his opportunity and grabbed her hand, quickly leading her upstairs to his room. Once they both were alone, he shut the door.

"Sorry, about that. At this point, I think you have an idea what to expect..." Helga smiled as she looked around Arnold's room.

"Like I said Football head, it's much better than my house. If you ever came over for dinner, I think you'd run for the hills as soon as you arrived." Helga was fingering through Arnold's record player albums when he quietly got behind her.

"Oh, I don't know about _that_." Helga felt her whole body hum, feeling Arnold's body just ever so slightly against her back. She slowly turned around, thinking Arnold would move to give her space.

He didn't.

Helga's nose was almost touching Arnold's at this point. His hands were in his pocket and Helgas were behind her back. She wanted to look anywhere else besides him, but it was impossible to not get sucked into those emerald eyes.

"You look nervous, Helga." Arnold cocked his head ever so slightly, mischievous smile and lidded eyes to match. Helga couldn't breathe if someone paid her to.

"Well you're crowding me, how would anyone not be nervous?" The words may have sounded like she was annoyed, but her tone screamed _'Please for the love of God, don't move'._

"Oh, sorry." Arnold backed up a couple of steps, but Helga could tell by his voice that he was most definitely not sorry.

"I hope you're hungry." Helga looked around his room and found nothing to hint at a dinner. No table, no plates, no food, just nothing.

"Uh, are you having a stroke, Arnaldo? I don't see any food." Helga quirked her unibrow in suspicion, hands on her hips. Arnold chuckled.

"That's because we're not having dinner _here_." Arnold took her hand and was walking towards his bed. Helga's eyes widened and she couldn't help the squeak that escaped her glossed lips. Arnold turned around and saw that Helga's face wasn't even red, but pure white. For a second he was confused by the reaction until he put two and two together. His heart rate spiked dramatically.

"Oh nononono, Helga. Dinner will be on the roof." He jerked his head towards the ladder by his bed. Helga took a deep sigh of relief.

"You about gave me a heart attack," Helga mumbled as Arnold offered for her to climb up first. When they both reached the roof, Helga had to grab onto Arnold's arm to keep herself up. Arnold covered her hand with his own.

In the middle of the roof, there was a tiny table with two seats. Twinkle lights were strung between objects, surrounding it. A white lace tablecloth was delicately laid on the circular table, giving it a nice glow. Helga was speechless, and Arnold couldn't help but gaze at Helga's reaction.

"The best is right above you," Arnold whispered. Helga brought her eyes up and gasped. There was a beautiful blanket of stars all across the midnight sky. There was only one thing she could think of to say, and she was very surprised that she had memorized it.

"Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die, Take him and cut him out into little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all of the world will be in love with night." Arnold's eyebrows shot to his hair roots.

"You remembered that from the Romeo and Juliet play we did?" Helga looked down and into Arnold's eyes.

"You'd be surprised what my memory holds." Helga smiled at him sweetly and Arnold's nerves suddenly dissipated. Looking at Helga, totally and completely happy, did something to his heart that he wasn't sure how to even begin to explain. It was so rare to see Helga be truly blissful. It was like seeing a shooting star, Arnold realized. Shooting stars didn't happen all of the time, and very few got to witness it. But if you were lucky enough to see it, you wanted to watch it happen over and over again.

He couldn't make shooting stars streak across the night sky, but if he could make Helga smile like that more often, he knew he wouldn't settle for seeing a mere star when he could see galaxies in her eyes.

 **Ahhhh I ended it right before they sat down for dinner! D': Don't hate me! I really wanted to continue with their dinner, but I wanted everyone to focus soley on the set up, and then focus soley on the dinner itself ;) I know, I'm an evil author haha! Regardless, I still hope you enjoyed this chapter :) Next chapter during their dinner, spoiler lol, Arnold will play a song to which him and Helga will share a little dance. I IMPLORE you to play the song as you read the conversation between them during the dance! It'll set the scene a lot better :) Until next time, my fellow Football heads! xx**


	13. Chapter 13: You're Everything

**IMPORTANT TO READ BEFORE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER! Omg you guys, this chapter was fun and stressful to write at this same time xD I wanted this scene to be absolutely perfect. Of course, as a writer, you're never truly finished with a story or even a chapter. You can constantly tweak it and change it, but I feel pretty good about my final draft, and hopefully, the rest of you enjoy it as well! The IMPORTANT thing to do doing this chapter is to play a certain song when it's time (Don't worry, you'll know when to play the song lol) Look up "Everything by Boyce Avenue" and play it when it's time. If you've never heard the song before, I suggest you go ahead and listen to it before reading the chapter so you can hear and feel the words. I really hope you all enjoy it! Let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or the characters, nor do I own the music that is mentioned!**

"I have to admit, Football head. This is quite impressive." Helga let go of Arnold's arm and began to walk towards the table. She was honestly in shock. As much as she had dreamt of Arnold doing sweet and romantic things for her, she never thought in her wildest dreams that it would happen. A small voice inside her told her that she really didn't deserve it. She had bullied Arnold for years, yet now she's seemingly won over his love? She pushed back the doubt that had risen in her throat like lava. She wanted to enjoy this while she could. She turned back to Arnold who hadn't moved a single step since climbing up. He didn't say a word but simply stared at her with a smile on his face.

"Earth to Arnaldo, anyone home?" Helga snapped her fingers to try and get him to come back to her. He blinked a few times and gave a nervous laugh.

"Oh, sorry Helga. I guess I just got lost in thought." Arnold started to walk past Helga, but he didn't reach the table. Instead, he walked over to another small table that Helga hadn't noticed. It had a small black stereo on it, that Arnold began to press buttons on. Helga quickly felt her nerves spike and her heart race. Before she could say anything, a quiet guitar strum filled the air.

 **(Play the song now! :D)**

"I know the last time that we danced together, it didn't really end well. So I was wondering if you'd like to try again?" Arnold asked as he held out his hand.

"I promise I won't spin you into a pool this time." He gave her a smirk that left Helga breathless. The twinkle lights made Arnolds face and hair glow in the most angelic way. She took his hand with hers.

"If you do I'm pulling you in like last time." Arnold twirled her, surprising Helga, then pulled her in close, both of his hands on her waist. Helga's hands automatically landed on his shoulders.

"Fair enough." Arnold replied in a low husky voice. Helga felt her lungs go into overtime trying to get any oxygen she could in. The lyrics rang in her ears, and it was as if the song was written for her. Helga really didn't want to say anything at that moment. Arnold's face was so close to her that she felt his warm breath on her lips. She really didn't want him to see how much he rattled her, so she brought him in closer, putting her head on his shoulder. She felt Arnold's chest shake against her as he let out a chuckle from her shyness.

"Oh shut up." Helga said in his ear, which only made Arnold laugh harder.

"That's a shame because I was about to tell you why I brought you here." Helga brought her face up to his, curiosity laced in her blue eyes.

"Well I mean, you could tell me _that_ at least." She shrugged, trying to make it seem like it was no big deal to her. Arnold of course by this point saw through her facade like a window.

"Well isn't it obvious?" Helga opened her mouth, then closed it. She really didn't want to say anything until she knew one hundred percent of Arnold's intentions. She shook her head.

"Helga, I brought you here because I needed to show you that my feelings are real." Helga's hands tightened on Arnold's shoulders ever so slightly.

"No offense Arnold, but a dance and a dinner don't really prove anything. Other than maybe you're delusional." Arnold rolled his eyes but understood where she was coming from.

"You have a point, but I'm not delusional. So how about I prove it tomorrow?" Helga was even more confused than ever before.

"I can prove it tomorrow. And the next day," Arnold pulled her closer to him.

"And the next day," He brought a hand up and tucked a piece of golden hair behind Helga's ear. His voice began to grow softer and softer.

"And the day after that." Arnold leaned forward until his nose was touching hers. Helga felt her walls begin to crumble. She didn't know how much longer she could restrain herself from doing something crazy.

"Helga, I will prove how much you mean to me every day, even after you finally realize that I'm telling the truth. At least until you get tired of me or find someone else." Helga felt her mind snap like a twig. Arnold opening up to her like this completely wrecked her, and in the best way possible. At this point, she didn't care about her reputation for being tough. She didn't care if it made her look desperate. She needed this and there was nothing stopping her now.

"Do you really think I could want _anyone_ other than you?" Helga whispered. Before Arnold could respond, Helga put both of her hands on either side of his face and pulled his mouth to hers. It wasn't as reckless and passionate as the kiss they shared on the building so long ago, but somehow it was better. They moved together and against each other like their lips were dancing rather than their bodies. Colors were exploding and planets were imploding behind both of their eyes. Arnold felt the hairs on his neck stand on end and let out a sigh of relief in the middle of the kiss. It was perfect. He had to admit, he was slightly worried that Helga would take the kiss too far, but she wasn't. Even though he had been wanting to kiss her for weeks now, he still wasn't ready for french kissing or anything too "fast-paced". He was enjoying this simple, yet emotional kiss and he really wished that this was their first kiss ever. When they separated, they were both slightly out of breath but they were still smiling at each other.

"I love you." Helga said breathlessly while she had the guts to say it out loud. Her adrenaline was so high she felt like she could jump off the roof and fly. She knew that she could express in more words how much she loved him, but she had a feeling that her voice encompassed it all. Arnold gave her another half-lidded gaze, his mouth now slightly swollen. He cupped her face in his hand, noticing her eyes watering with every passing second that he didn't respond.

"You know, Helga, I've known you pretty much my entire life. You've called me names and thrown spitballs at me..." Helga felt her smile fade away.

"But I've also seen the nice side of you. The real you. And every time I've seen that side of you, I wished and hoped that it wouldn't be the last time that I saw it. When you convinced your dad to fund our float for the parade, when you found my blue hat and when you catered to Phoebe when she broke her leg. Every time I witnessed that side of you, I couldn't help but feel closer to you. There were moments when I realized that even though you acted mean and tough, I still cared about you more and more with every memory that was made." Helga felt a single tear roll down her cheek, which Arnold wiped away with his thumb.

"After what happened in San Lorenzo, I knew my feelings for you had grown stronger. I have to admit, I was confused and a little scared. I hadn't ever felt these kinds of feelings before. Not with Ruch or with Lila. I couldn't really make sense of them. When I was reading the poetry in class though, and I looked at you..." Arnold brought his other hand to her face, now completely entranced by Helga's full attention.

"...and right then I knew that my feelings were true. You're a good person, Helga. Your heart is purer than you know. I've seen the rough and the sweet side of you, and I'm not here to tell you that I only care about the sensitive part of you. I accept you, for everything that you have been, everything you are now, and everything that you will be. Because I know that someone with as big of a heart as you, has such a bright future. I just hope that you will let me be a part of your future because..." Helga was basically crying at this point, feeling completely overwhelmed.

"...Because I love you too, Helga." Arnold felt his heart constrict at the sight of Helga crying. He knew she was crying because of her emotions, but it still pained him to see her like this. He had to admit though that getting all of this off of his chest felt so freeing. He couldn't imagine holding such strong feelings in for _years_ like Helga had. No wonder she had been terrified of expressing herself: being tough was the only way she knew how to be towards people.

Helga felt her heart go into a complete arrhythmia. She stopped trying to control her feelings because clearly, Arnold made it impossible to do so. She couldn't remember a time when anyone had said anything that nice to her. She thought back and knew that neither of her parents ever tried to lift her up like this, so she never really knew what it was like to receive this kind of genuine love. Phoebe, of course, had supported her, but this was different in a way. Helga felt like she had someone who truly cared about her and her well being, and to make it even better, that person was Arnold! Her one true love! Helga wiped her eyes, smearing her eyeliner and mascara in the process. She looked at the back of her hand and saw black streaks. She stomped her foot and groaned.

"Great, the moment I've dreamt of is finally happening and I look like a raccoon basket case." Helga sniffed while Arnold grabbed both of her hands in his.

"I don't think you're a basket case, Helga. Though, the smeared makeup is making you look a bit scary." Arnold laughed as Helga playfully punched his arm.

"You caused it! If I had known you were going to give me some romantic dialogue from _The Notebook_ I wouldn't have worn makeup!" Arnold went to the table and got a napkin for her. Helga wiped her eyes to try and correct her makeup. Luckily, she fixed it quite well, but under her eyes were red from the irritation of the napkin. She looked at Arnold with worried eyes.

"So what's the verdict? Do I still look like a zombie?" Arnold shook his head as he leaned forward and kissed her cheek softly.

"You look beautiful. With or without the makeup." Helga swooned slightly as Arnold guided her to the table. The music had finished, but Helga hadn't noticed. When Arnold told her of his feelings, the whole world stopped.

"I hope you still have an appetite after all that." Arnold joked as he pulled out Helga's chair. She folded her hands on the table as Arnold took his seat across from her.

"Don't worry, Arnaldo. I like to have dessert before dinner sometimes too." Arnold glanced up at her, cocking an eyebrow.

"Using my own words against me. Touche." Helga laughed as Arnold unexpectedly brought out a walky-talky from underneath his seat. Helga stopped laughing and furrowed her brows.

"Alright Chief, we're ready for dinner, over." Arnold said into the walky-talky. The unmistakable voice of his grandma blared from the speaker.

"You got it, Number Nine! Over and out!" Helga put an elbow on the table and put her head in her hand.

"Number Nine?" She asked suspiciously. Arnold shrugged slightly.

"Me and Grandma rescued Lockjaw from the Aquarium and returned him to the ocean." Helga let out a short chuckle, leaned back and folded her arms.

"Of course you did. That doesn't explain the weird nicknames, though." Right when Arnold was about to reply, Gertie busted through the door holding a dish of lasagna. She changed from her ninja outfit to her astronaut uniform. Arnold and Helga shared a look.

"You know what, nevermind." Helga waved her hand as Arnold giggled. Even though he was slightly embarrassed by his grandma's rather unusual choice of outfits, it was good to know that Helga was comfortable with it. If anything, she expected it. Gertie placed the small dish between the two children. It was just enough for Arnold and Helga to split.

"Anything else I can bring you before I head back to NASA, Number Nine?" Arnold looked at Helga to check. She took a drink of her water as she shook her head. Arnold looked up and gave his grandma an appreciative smile.

"No, I think we're good Grandma. Thank you!" Gertie gave a proper salute as she put out a loud laugh and ran for the door.

"So do I need to add 'Number Nine' to my list of nicknames for you?" Helga teased. Arnold's eyes got big as he put a fork full of lasagna in his mouth. He vigorously shook his head. Helga laughed as she witnessed Arnold accidentally smear sauce on the corner of his mouth.

"You have, a uh," Helga pointed to the corner of her mouth, trying to help Arnold find the red sauce. After he tried and failed to find it, Helga sighed impatiently as she reached her hand over and wiped it with her thumb. She brought her hand back, putting her thumb in her mouth to lick the sauce off. Arnold felt his legs and arms go tingly and then numb. He guessed that Helga didn't realize how 'risque' her move was.

Or she did and she was being the biggest flirt ever.

Arnold gave a high pitched laugh as he tried to focus on lowering his inner body temperature. Helga stifled a giggle and began to eat her own food.

 _Who knew I could flirt with Arnold so well?_

"This is actually really good, Football head. I'm impressed." Helga complimented as she finished her plate. Arnold patted his mouth with his napkin, not really wanting another "helpful hand" moment from Helga again. He was just now getting feeling back in his legs.

"Thanks, Helga!" Arnold grabbed her empty plate and placed it on top of his. Once they stood up from their table, Helga began to make her way to the entrance to his bedroom.

"Where are you going?" Arnold called out. Helga turned and noticed that he hadn't moved from his spot by the table.

"Oh, well I assumed dinner was over?" Arnold shook his head and made a gesture with his finger that said 'come here'. Helga slowly walked back over to him, curious about what else he had planned for them. He grabbed her hand and let her to the other side of the roof that was out of view from where the table sat. As they turned the corner, Helga saw a pallet of blankets and a couple of pillows laid out.

"If you don't want to, it's ok..." Arnold got nervous after Helga's prolonged silence. He was stunned when she reached for his hand and began to practically drag him to the blankets.

"Are you kidding? Let's get to cuddling and star gazing, Football head!" Arnold laid down first, one arm behind his head, and one around Helga's near bare shoulders. Helga tucked one arm between her and Arnolds body, the other hugging his midsection. She laid her head on his chest, hearing his heartbeat and feeling it thump against the side of her face. She couldn't remember a time where she had felt so at peace. They gazed at the stars and didn't bother keeping up with the time. Arnold knew his grandpa or someone would come up and let them know when it was time for Helga to go home.

"You know, I keep thinking that this is a dream." Arnold whispered. In the complete silence of the night, other than the occasional car honks in the distance, his voice sounded loud. Helga looked up at him while he kept his eyes on the night sky. She could see the reflection of the stars glimmer in his green eyes, and she knew it was impossible, but she wished that this moment could last for eternity.

"If this is a dream, I will kill the man who tries to wake me." Arnold craned his head to look at Helga astonishingly.

"Whoa, pretty intense Helga."

"Relax Arnaldo, it's from a tv show."

"Oh." Helga snuggled closer to him as they both continued to look at the stars.

"But my statement still stands." Arnold chuckled as his arm around Helga tightened.

"I'll help you then." Arnold mumbled as he let his head rest on top of Helgas.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Meanwhile across town, in an abandoned building, the sound of typing at a keyboard echoed throughout the empty room.

"Arnold Shortman: Winner of Spelling Bee. Arnold Shortman: Winner of San Lorenzo Video Contest. Arnold, Arnold, _Arnold_..." a low menacing voice rang out. The Google search window was clicked off as he began to dig in his backpack. He pulled out a phone book that he had swiped from a store.

"Peter, Pharrell, Pharris... _Ah_ , Phil Shortman." He let out a dark chuckle as he wrote down the 10 digit number that paired beside the name. He slammed the phone book shut and stuffed the phone number in his jeans pocket.

"I think it's time to send a little 'Hello' to the Shortman family."

He flipped open his cell phone and began to dial.

 **Did you appreciate the Game of Thrones reference? :D hehe I couldn't resist. As for the song pairing, I had plans of playing songs with certain future important scenes, but I need to know how it felt with everyone reading! Was the music distracting or did it fit perfectly with the read? Please let me know! I hope everyone enjoyed the first AxH kiss of my story ;) Unfortunately, I'm here to tell you that this is the last bit of fluff for a little while if the cliffhanger wasn't any indication. Things are about to get rocky in Hillwood! Until next time, my fellow Football heads! xx**


	14. Chapter 14: It Begins Now

**I'm back! Sorry to say, but after this chapter, the 'quickness' of these chapters will go down a bit. I'm starting a new job in the morning (I actually stayed up late just so I could finish this chapter for you all!) and this job requires a lot of my attention. I will still update on the story though, so no worries on that :) Thank you to everyone that left a review about my "song chapter"! I think my future scenes that have music, I'll make it instrumental so the lyrics don't distract readers! :D Also, this chapter is kind of short but future chapters will be longer! I hope you all enjoy!**

Helga had fallen asleep on Arnold's chest, but he decided not to wake her just yet. He was still comfortable and he had a _slight_ suspicion that Helga wouldn't be too fond of being woke up from a nap. In the distance, he heard someone climb on the roof. He heard footsteps approach behind him, then they suddenly stopped.

Arnold craned his neck and looked up.

His father stood there with an odd facial expression. It was like a mixture of fear, pain, and worry. Arnold knew something was wrong and his stomach felt like it had fallen off the building.

"Dad? What's wrong?" Arnold whispered, still wary of waking Helga. Miles knelt beside his son, his frown lines becoming more prominent.

"You need to wake up Helga and both of you come downstairs. Now." Helga slightly stirred from the foreign voice.

"Are we in trouble, Dad? She wasn't going to stay the night, I was just-"

"Something's wrong Arnold. Seriously _wrong_ and I just need you both downstairs _now_." Before Arnold could question further, Miles went through the door and went back downstairs. Something in his voice told Arnold that this had nothing to do with Helga staying late. He slightly shook Helga to wake her, and as she opened her eyes and looked up at Arnold, her dreamy smile only stayed momentarily. She noticed that Arnold looked stressed and...worried?

"What's with the brooding look, Arnaldo?" She sat up and stretched, cracking her neck and popping her spine. Arnold stood up abruptly and pulled Helga to her feet.

"We have to get downstairs right now. Something's wrong." Helga was very lost, but one look at Arnold's face and she knew he wasn't joking. His muscles were tense and his pupils were microscopic. His palms were sweaty and he was even slightly shaking. She couldn't remember a time where he had looked so freaked out, other than their rescue mission in San Lorenzo that turned hairy.

"Are you ok, Arnold? Do we need to go to the hospital?" Helga grabbed his face and started checking him everywhere for any signs of physical harm. There was none.

"I, I don't know Helga. Dad just came up here and told me he needed us inside right now. He sounded really nervous." Without another thought, both kids ran through the door and sprinted downstairs. They got to the living room where they found Miles and Stella sitting on the couch holding hands, Phil standing by the table that had the answering machine on it, and Gertie who had yet again changed from her astronaut uniform to her army uniform. Everyone was frowning and you could practically see the tension in the air. Arnold gripped Helga's hand for support.

"What's going on?" It was so quiet in the room that Arnold's voice almost sounded like he was yelling. Phil looked like he really didn't want to tell Arnold what was happening, which only worried him even more.

"Shortman, we got a rather...disturbing voicemail. They said that they knew you and...well..." Phil rung his hands timidly as he took another glance towards his own son. Miles nodded.

"Arnold, it was a warning. More like a threat, really." Phil finished. Helga tightened her hold on Arnold's hand. He took a glance at the answering machine, which had a red light blinking.

 _"Arnold, I fear your life is in danger."_

Without any warning, it felt like someone had gut-punched Arnold. He actually breathed out with such force, that he doubled over an inch. Helga let go of his hand and put it on his back. Elena was right. Whoever had beaten Elena was now following through with his plans and was now coming after him. His family.

Arnold looked up at Helga, who actually looked somewhat terrified. They were going to come for her too.

Arnold straightened up and tried to calm his breathing. "What exactly did he say?" Everyone in the room averted their gaze from Arnold. Of course, no one wanted him to hear the message, but he had to know what was said.

"Are you sure you want to hear this?" Miles uttered. Arnold really didn't want to, but he knew he had to. He needed to know what he was dealing with. Arnold nodded.

Phil sighed, leaned over, and pressed play.

 _"Hello Arnold, Arnold's family, and of course, hello Helga."_ Arnold felt Helga go rigid beside him. _"I bet you thought you could get away with ruining my life, hm Arnold? Well, you thought wrong. I'm going to destroy everything you love if it's the last thing I do. But this isn't a one-man game! I may be a cruel man but I'm not unfair. Consider this as a game of Chess. Now for the rules: absolutely no police will be involved or there will be consequences. If I tell you to meet me somewhere, you will show up and you will not be late. If you do not show up, again, there will be consequences. The times that I do tell you to meet me somewhere, you will come alone. If anyone comes with you...well, I think you get the point. I can't wait for this game to begin, Arnold. Because it begins now."_ The message ended with a loud beep.

Arnold's stomach was in knots and he felt hot and cold at the same time. This guy sounded crazy and he said he wanted to play a game? What kind of game involved hurting people?

Miles paced back and forth. "Obviously, we can't call the police. From the sound of this guy, he meant every word. We can't risk it." He stopped and looked at Arnold. "Son, do you have any idea who this is or what this is about?"

Arnold knew he couldn't lie well, but he had to try. He really didn't want to involve his parents deeper in this mess than they already were. They didn't deserve to be in danger and neither did his friends. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to get them out of it right now, but he refused to suck them in further. Arnold shook his head.

"I, I have no idea." Helga looked at Arnold with suspicious eyes. He knew he'd have to explain everything to Helga sooner or later, and from her glare, he assumed sooner.

Phil sighed and shook his head. "Well, what are we supposed to do? Just sit around and wait on this wacko to make the first move?"

Arnold finally spoke up. "I need to get Helga home. It's getting late. When I come back we'll discuss this more." Arnold grabbed her hand and began to make his way to the front door. Stella blocked the path before Arnold could blink.

"You two will absolutely _not_ walk alone at night! Not after that voicemail. Helga will just have to sleep over. I'm sure her parents won't mind." Helga's eyes went wide as she began spitting out stutters.

"Oh, um, no that won't be necessary! I'm a tough girl, I, I'll be alright!" One look at Stella's face though, she knew there would be no discussion.

"I refuse. Helga can sleep either on the blow-up mattress we have in storage or she can sleep on the couch. Either way, she's staying here where she's safe."

Arnold raised a finger to object but was silenced. "And that's _final_." Stella voiced sternly. Arnold lowered his finger and slowly nodded. There was no point in arguing, it might as well be set in stone.

Helga sighed and shrugged. "Alright alright. Couch is fine." Stella gave her a sweet smile and clasped her hands together.

"Perfect! Miles and I have some extra blankets and pillows that we can let you use tonight."

Arnold gestured towards Helgas attire. "What about her dress? She can't sleep in that." Stella let out a 'hmm' as she gave it some thought.

"Why you can give her one of your shirts, Shortman!" Arnold looked back at his grandpa, blushing furiously.

"There you go! And I have some PJ shorts that I do believe will fit you." Stella suggested as she made her way upstairs. Helga's face was about as red as Arnold's, but they knew they were outnumbered. Stella returned downstairs with one of Arnold's red plaid button-down shirts, a pair of pink pajama shorts, and some blankets and pillows. Helga seriously didn't want to wear it, but it was either that or sleep in her dress, and she didn't relish the idea of sleeping in such a tight piece of clothing.

Helga took the clothes and gave Stella an appreciative smile. "Thanks, Mrs-" Stella gave her a knowing look. "-I mean, Stella." Helga took off her flats and placed them by the front door, then made her way upstairs to the bathroom to change. Stella gave Arnold a kiss on the head as she, Phil and Gertie made their way upstairs for bed.

Arnold plopped on the recliner as Miles began to lay out the blankets and pillows for Helga on the couch. "Dad, do you by chance have a plan?" Miles looked over at Arnold and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm... not entirely sure yet, Arnold. Me and your mother have to discuss things and just take it one day at a time." Arnold stared at the carpet with a melancholy look. Helga returned downstairs, all trace of makeup removed, her hair in a high ponytail tied with her bow, and wearing her 'sleep clothes'. Arnold couldn't help but admire Helga wearing his shirt, even in such a dark situation. Helga caught him staring and blushed deeply.

"Thanks again for letting me stay over." Helga said kindly as she sat on the couch. Arnold continuously smiled at her while Miles looked between the two kids. He chuckled quietly as he made his way upstairs.

"Not a problem, Helga. Like we said before, you're welcome here anytime. I already called your house and told your mom that you were staying over. She didn't seem to mind. Try to get some sleep. Goodnight kids." Miles messed with Arnold's hair as he walked past him, going upstairs. Helga and Arnold were left alone in near silence, nothing but the ticking of the clock making a sound.

"You ok, Arnold?" Helga mumbled. Arnold sighed and got up to sit next to Helga. He left no room between them, both of their hips touching.

"Please don't call me 'Arnold'. Call me 'Football head' or 'Arnaldo'. I'll even accept 'paste for brains'. Just...call me a nickname so I can feel like things aren't different right now..." Arnold hung his head as Helga began to rub his back in small slow circles. She hated seeing him this way, especially since there was nothing she could do to fix it. She wanted to find the guy that left that message and punch him in the mouth so hard that he bites his own heart. All she could do though was comfort Arnold, so that's exactly what she planned on doing.

"You got it, Bucko." Arnold chuckled as he looked up at Helga. Even though he hated that she was 'trapped' at the boarding house for the night, he was relieved to have her by his side. He was absolutely torn and terrified with how to handle this problem, but he felt at least a bit better just having Helga near him. He knew that Helga had to be somewhat scared too, but she still radiated strength and bravery, which helped him tremendously. He reached over and grabbed her hand, rubbing the top of her hand with his thumb.

"What're we going to do, Helga?" Arnold had so many questions firing in his brain, but that was the one to slip out first. He knew that he had to fill Gerald in about what happened, which meant that they had to start quicker than expected on the investigating. Helga hated hearing Arnold sound so hopeless.

"We're going to take down Mr. Psycho Pants and teach him a lesson." Helga leaned towards Arnold, putting her head on top of his. She took notice of how the roles were reversed at this moment. Arnold being the doubter and Helga being the optimist. If the situation wasn't so dire, she could probably laugh at the thick irony of it all. She thought back to all of the times that Arnold had stayed positive for her, while she looked at the downside. Now it was her turn to be positive for Arnold, and she was completely fine with it because he needed it right now. She would bend over backward just to lift Arnold's spirits.

"How? We can't call the police, Helga. He's got the advantage over us." Helga turned Arnold's shoulders towards her so he could face her.

"As long as I am on your side Arnold, he will never have an advantage over us." Arnold felt his eyes water, looking into Helga's determined crystal eyes. She pulled him into a tight hug that he gladly returned.

"I promise nothing will happen to you. Not while I'm still kicking." Arnold pulled away with fear in his eyes.

"Don't talk like that, Helga! Nothing will happen to you either! Nothing can happen to you..." Arnold shook his head as panic began to rise in his chest. Just the thought of Helga getting hurt because of him made him feel like he was drowning.

"Hey, come back to me." Helga shook Arnold gently to get his attention again. He made eye contact with her again.

"Nothing will happen to me either, ok? Just calm down before you snap and become as odd as your grandma." Helga put on a small smile, trying to lighten the mood. Arnold closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Helga had a point. He had to keep his bearings together or he wouldn't be able to focus on how to bring this guy down. First thing first, he had to tell Helga everything.

"I have to tell you something, Helga." He watched as she blinked several times, then nodded, urging him to continue. "After I dropped you off at your house this afternoon, I went to the hospital to visit Elena. I needed to see if she could tell me anything about this guy because I'm almost certain that whoever beat her, is the same guy who left that voicemail."

Helga furrowed her brow in thought. "Do you think she's behind all of this? I mean, as far as we know, she might've given herself the injuries so she could seem legit."

Arnold stood up and began to pace. Helga couldn't help but notice the little things that Arnold shared with his dad. "No, she wouldn't do that. Plus it's kind of a stretch that she would go as far as giving herself a concussion."

Helga thought for a second and reluctantly agreed. A tiny part of her wished that Elena was behind it, so she could find some kind of fault in her. She knew that she had Arnold's attention and love, tonight made that perfectly clear. She couldn't help but feel slightly insecure when it came to little Miss Perfect. Right now was not the time to focus on her own insecurities, though.

"Ok, so...what? Elena got jumped because she talked to you? At least that's what it sounded like when you guys were talking in the hallway." Helga leaned back and folded her arms, staring at Arnold as he continued to pace.

"She got jumped because she tried to warn me. Which could only mean that she knows who this guy is." Arnold stopped and stared out of the living room window. Is the guy out there right now, watching the boarding house? Would it still be safe to go to school tomorrow? His thoughts got interrupted as Helga came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. Arnold jumped slightly but turned around to meet Helga's solemn expression.

"We can figure all of this out tomorrow, Football head. It's late and even though we have a sicko that's obsessed with you, we still have school in the morning. And if I remember correctly, I still have to present my poetry analysis too." Arnold quietly gasped. He forgot all about Helga's poetry analysis! Honestly, he forgot all about school until about a minute ago. He briefly considered skipping school, but tomorrow was Friday and then they had two days to focus on investigating. Plus he felt like this 'revenge seeker' would win if Arnold chose to hide in his bed rather than face people. He refused to give him that satisfaction. He still felt so guilty that he forgot about Helga's own studies.

"I'm so sorry, Helga! Do you need to study with my poetry book?" She shook her head.

"Nah. I'm stopping by my house in the morning obviously so I can change. I'll just grab my books then." Arnold didn't even think about a change of clothes for her until that point either. He put a hand to his head. He really did feel out of it, but who wouldn't be?

"I, I think it's a good idea if we just went to bed. I need to lie down." Helga chuckled as she walked with him towards the stairs.

"Yeah, we don't need you fainting on us. We'll be able to come up with a better game plan tomorrow once we get some shut eye." Arnold walked up one stair so he could look Helga in the eyes from her height. He eased forward and gave her a small kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you, Helga." Arnold began to venture up the stairs when Helga called to him.

"For what?" She felt tingles radiate from her forehead to her toes.

 _Will there ever be a day that he doesn't have this kind of effect on me?_

Arnold turned back and gave her a sleepy smile. "For being here for me. For my family." With that, he walked up the stairs to his bedroom.

Helga walked over and turned off the lights, leaving the living room mostly dark, other than the calming glow from the streetlight outside. She covered herself up in the supply of blankets and couldn't resist taking a whiff of the plaid shirt, smelling the scent that was simply Arnold. She sighed her signature sigh as she drifted off to sleep.

 **There you have it! Again, I'm so sorry that this is such a short chapter, but the next chapter will be much longer to make it up to you guys x3 I don't know when I'll be able to update again, but it shouldn't be longer than a week TOPS. I hope everyone is still enjoying it so far because things are about to get crazy in Hillwood! Until next time my fellow Football Heads! xx**


	15. Chapter 15: We Can Outlast A Hurricane

**I'm back! Thank you all for the patience of my updating! I've had some reviews about what they believe to happen in future chapters. For people who are saying that LaSombra is still alive, I have to confirm that he is not. He really is dead in this story, but it plays a part in why the antagonist is doing what he's doing. I've already revealed who is behind the voicemail in Chapter 9: Revenge :) Don't worry, I will be doing an entire chapter that will focus on the antagonist and where his mindset is at. For right now though, we must get through a bit of angst. You all finally get to hear Helga's poetry analysis: but she doesn't do it in the classroom. Confused? Keep reading!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the poetry mentioned or Hey Arnold.**

"Hey Arnold! Hey Arnold! Hey Arnold! Hey-"

The alarm clock was turned off abruptly as Arnold yawned and stretched his arms. He quickly remembered the events that had transpired the night before. His and Helga's romantic dinner, the threatening phone call, Helga sleeping over.

 _Oh my god, Helga slept over._

Even though Helga slept downstairs on the couch while he slept in his own bed, he couldn't help but feel butterflies in his stomach at the thought of Helga and him sleeping under the same roof. True, they slept in close proximity when they did their Greenhouse project together, but they were both at each other's throats so much that he couldn't really focus on anything but making sure their project got finished.

Arnold got dressed in a rush, then made his way to the bathroom, which unfortunately was occupied by one of the residents. Arnold waited outside until the door opened, hot steam rolling out. He waved his hand to clear his vision when he noticed the long blonde hair. Helga was in a white bathrobe, dripping wet. She was tying her bathrobe belt when she looked up to finally notice Arnold standing there. She let out a squeak of a gasp as she made sure she was completely covered.

"Um, good morning Football head. Your mom said it was ok that I took a shower. Sorry if I kept you waiting." Arnold kept opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. He really didn't know what to say. All he could really pay attention to was how Helga's skin glowed under the hallway light from the shower. Her blonde hair, still soaking wet, was still clumped together but still looked silky as it cascaded over her shoulders. Some of it fell over her blue eyes, which brought attention to them. There was something else though that triggered Arnold's heart arrhythmia, but he couldn't quite place his finger on what it was.

"Um, no you're fine, Helga. I was just wanting to brush my teeth is all." Helga nodded as she bit her bottom lip and gripped her bathrobe closer to herself. As Arnold snuck past her to get to the bathroom, he brushed past her ever so gently, making Helga shiver from her head to her toes. That was when Arnold realized what it was. Vulnerability. He rarely got to witness Helga look so vulnerable, and when he got the chance to, it was nothing short of a magical moment. Seeing the mighty, tough Helga look sheepish gave Arnold the kind of joy that would be impossible to explain without sounding either rude or crazy. He chuckled to himself as he got inside the bathroom and closed the door.

Once he finished getting ready, he made his way to the kitchen where he smelled strawberry pancakes. He placed his backpack by his feet as he sat down at the kitchen table. For a change, it wasn't his grandma cooking. Stella had on a white apron with pink polka dots on it as she set a stack of pancakes on a plate. She walked over to her son, placed a kiss on his head and the delicious plate in front of him.

"Goodmorning sweetie! I hope you slept well." Arnold shrugged as he took a mouthful of his breakfast.

"I could use more sleep, but I'll be ok. Where's Helga?" As if on cue, he heard the chair beside him scrape as Helga sat down next to him. Her hair was still somewhat damp, but it was hardly noticeable with her pigtails. He looked down at her clothes and noticed that she was wearing one of Arnold's old t-shirts that said 'Mickey Kaline' on it, accompanied with a baseball and bat next to the name. She wore a pair of _very_ loose sweats that Arnold hadn't worn in years. The drawstring had to be tied multiple times to make sure they stayed up.

Helga noticed Arnold's stare and folded her arms self consciously. "Your mom said that it was ok if I wore this until I was able to wear my own clothes when we stop by my place before school." Arnold shook his head.

"No, it's fine Helga! I, I didn't mean to stare." He rubbed the back of his neck as he let out a small chuckle. Helga smiled back, unfolding her arms. Stella placed a plate of pancakes in front of Helga along with some syrup and butter.

"Eat up, buttercup!" Stella proclaimed cheerfully. Helga, being flustered at Arnold's attention, didn't bother looking at the pancakes and got a forkful up to her lips. Arnold casually looked over and felt his heart nearly stop.

"No!" He slapped the fork out of Helga's hand, sending the silverware flying across the room. Helga and Stella looked at him like he was insane.

"What's the deal, Arnaldo? I'm not allowed to eat?" Arnold calmed his breathing before he pointed to the pancakes.

"You're allergic to strawberries, Helga. You must've not noticed them in the pancakes." Stella gasped as she quickly swiped the plate away from Helga.

"I'm so sorry, Helga! I didn't know!" Stella apologized profusely. "You didn't eat any of it, did you?" Helga took a deep breath and it finally dawned on her how close of a call that was. She looked over at Arnold who had all of the blood drained from his face.

"I'm...I'm alright. Arnold, how did you know I'm allergic to strawberries?" The blonde boy looked at the table while twiddling his thumbs.

"Oh, um, well, when I was trying to come up with an April Fools prank for you, I did a little research on you. During so, I found out about your allergy. Of course, I wouldn't stoop that low for a prank, but it was still good information to have so...yeah..." He felt his cheeks go bright red. He didn't even admit to Gerald that he went above and beyond while trying to come up with a prank for Helga.

Yeah, instead of making her throat close up I blinded her. Good job.

Helga's eyebrow shot up as she learned this. He actually did research on her? Sure, it was for a stupid prank but he still went through some effort to learn some things about her! She also noticed how freaked out and worried Arnold's mom was for Helga's safety. Helga remembered Big Bob throwing strawberries in the grocery cart when they were buying food while Miriam was away. Her own _father_ didn't even know about her allergy, yet here were Arnold and Stella, both looking pale and...scared. Even though she felt bad for scaring them, she couldn't help but feel warmth radiate through her as she realized that someone actually cared about her enough to look frightened at the thought of something bad happening to her. She honestly could've cried right then and there, but thought better on it.

Helga got up and made her way over to Stella. "I'm fine, really. No harm, no foul." Helga spread her arms out and turned around in a circle as if to show that she was still in one piece. Stella had a hand over her racing heart, the plate of cakes still balanced in the other. A small smile played on the brunette's lips.

"Next time, I'll just go with chocolate." Everyone giggled as Stella put the pancakes in the fridge.

"I'll just let Oskar have them," Stella said as she shut the fridge door. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind." Helga gave a sarcastic 'humph'.

"Are you serious? Even if I had tried to eat them he probably still would've asked if he could have them." Arnold laughed at Helga's quip as he grabbed his own backpack. Stella smiled and shook her head. All three walked towards the front door as Stella grabbed the Packard car keys.

"First stop, Pataki residence!" Stella exclaimed as both kids piled into the car. Arnold couldn't help but sit a bit closer to Helga than necessary.

"Are you sure you're ready for the poetry presentation today?" Arnold asked as Stella turned on the radio. Helga started to bop her head to the music, but still answered him.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be, Bucko. My presentation will blow yours out of the water." She put on a smirk as Arnold sighed.

"Whatever you say, Helga."

After they arrived at Helga's place and she went inside, Stella took this time to talk to her son.

"Arnold, if you or Helga feel like you're being followed or something's not right, you call me immediately, ok?" Arnold picked at a hangnail as he stared at Helga's front door.

"I will, mom. I don't think this guy is crazy enough to show up at school though."

Stella kept her hands on the steering wheel, even though the car was in park. Her knuckles were white. "This guy obviously isn't sane to begin with, according to the voicemail he left. Just please be vigilant." Arnold tore his eyes away from the house and looked at his mom through her review mirror. His green eyes met her own and he knew she was playing down her fear. Any mother would be afraid of their child's safety, of course, so he couldn't give his mom a hard time. He smiled and nodded.

Once Helga returned to the car, wearing her typical pink dress and her books tucked under her arm, they began to make their way towards P.S. 118.

"I don't know, Arnaldo. I think once Mr. Simmons hears my presentation, he'll forget all about yours." Helga boasted. Arnold laughed as he rolled his eyes.

"Helga, I made him cry. I doubt that you can top tha-"

 _ **POP**_

Before anyone could register the loud sound they heard, the car started to skid off the road. Stella gripped and turned the steering wheel towards the side of the road, trying to get control of the vehicle. Helga and Arnold gasped as they grabbed each other's hand. They swerved and collided into a tree, stopping the car on a dime. Smoke began to rise from the front of the Packard. Stella took off her seatbelt and turned around to the kids.

"Is everyone ok?" Arnold and Helga were still holding hands and both were shaking like leaves. Helga looked at Arnold, making sure that he had no injuries. Arnold turned his head to look at Helga when a sharp pain shot through his neck. He gasped, letting go of Helga's hand to grip his throat.

"Ow! I think I got whiplash or something..." Helga put a gentle hand behind Arnold's head, continuing to check him for other injuries. No blood, no visible bones. Stella got out of the car and noticed what caused the spin out. Her front left tire was completely blown. She ran around to Arnold's door and opened it.

"Arnold, I'm calling an ambulance. Just stay there and don't move." Stella flipped out her phone and was dialing numbers by the speed of light. Helga carefully caressed Arnold's neck as he tried not to move. He was starting to get dizzy and nauseous, which made it hard for him to keep still.

"I don't feel good, Helga." She stopped stroking his neck, pushed the driver's seat forward and positioned herself so she was somewhat in front of Arnold. Arnold was sitting basically in the middle of the two seats, while Helga wedged herself between him and the front seat. She placed both her hands on his knees to try and comfort him.

"Don't worry, Arnold. Help is on the way, you'll be fine." He looked up at Helga and noticed that she had a small bruise on her neck from the seatbelt. He then began to imagine what would her injuries be like if the wreck had been worse. Would she have broken bones? Would she even be alive? Bile began to rise in Arnold's throat and before he could warn her, vomit sprayed from his mouth, covering her dress. Helga gasped and quickly leaned away. Even though she was covered in puke, her main worry was for Arnold.

"Stella! Arnold just got sick!" She peeked inside the car, still on the phone and saw that Arnold really wasn't looking good.

"Vertigo and nausea are typical symptoms of whiplash. I think he's alright for the most part, but he still needs to go to the hospital, as do you." Stella looked in Helga's direction.

"I'm fine, just get him help! Please!" Helga's common sense told her that Arnold wasn't dying and that he had a minor injury for a car accident, but she still couldn't calm the panic that had risen in her. She had never seen Arnold this way and it made her feel completely powerless. When Arnold was heartbroken about Lila, she was able to talk to him and cheer him up somewhat. When he was depressed after he had lost his hat, she was able to deliver it back to him, restoring him to his old self. As she looked into Arnold's eyes, she knew that this time she couldn't help him. All she could do was hold his hand and let him know that she was there.

"I'm sorry I got sick on you, Helga..." Arnold said sluggishly. Helga shook her head and squeezed his hand tighter.

"Not important. It's called a washing machine and a dryer. Luckily, I have both." She tried joking with him but he didn't even crack a smile. She audibly gulped, her throat feeling like it was pure sandpaper.

"You're going to be ok, Arnold. Please just hold on." Arnold squeezed her hand as much as he could. He felt weak as a dishrag.

"Just...keep talking...to me..." Arnold knew he couldn't fall asleep. He wasn't even sure if he had a concussion or not. If he did, he knew he wasn't supposed to fall asleep. Having a doctor as a mom really did pay off when it counted. Helga furiously nodded.

"Ok! Ok, um... do you want to hear my poetry presentation until the ambulance gets here?" Arnold couldn't nod his head, so he gave out a slight "uh huh"

Helga grabbed his hand with both of hers. Arnold was staring at the back of the passenger seat, but she could tell that he was paying as much attention as he could. His eyes were drooping, which told her that he was fighting unconsciousness.

"Ok, well, the name of the poem is called 'Akhmatova said' and it's basically about this woman who has fallen in love and is writing to her true love. Of course, I chose this one, big surprise right?" Helga chuckled and noticed that the corners of Arnold's mouth quirked up, if just for a split second.

"I, I actually remember a lot of the poem since it's so short. Um, one of the stanzas goes, _'I could name all of the parts of your face that I love in one long paragraph, name conjunctions together that will not break, write sentences without verbs and not be afraid_ '." Helga trailed off as she stared at Arnold, letting the words she just recited sink in. The stanza was talking about being brave, expressing love and not being afraid to show it. She stared at Arnold's bloodshot eyes, vomit still present on his perfect mouth and chin, his hand still gripping both of hers.

"I can't lose you," Helga whispered as she felt tears flow down her cheeks. "I can't do it. I'm strong but I'm not strong enough to lose you, Arnold. I never have been." Helga put her head on their conjoined hands as she cried. Seeing Arnold in this state completely wrecked her. As she heard sirens in the distance, she felt a shaky hand fall on her head. She looked up and saw that even though Arnold's head hadn't moved, his eyes had shifted towards her. His eyes were brimmed with tears.

"You will...never lose me...Helga." Arnold was seeing black dots at the corner of his vision, and he wasn't sure if he was hearing ringing in his ears or sirens. It was probably both, he concluded.

 _Come on, just stay awake a little longer._ Arnold thought to himself. He needed Helga to keep talking, so he could focus on something. Anything.

"What...else..." Arnold mumbled. Helga realized that he was referencing the poem. She sniffled and wiped her nose on her shoulder, her hands never leaving Arnolds.

"She um, she goes on to say, _'A storm could rain- name oceans into the sea and not wash away my name. Akhmatova said, You will hear thunder and remember me._ '," The sirens got louder and louder until the ambulance was parked right beside the Packard. The red flashing lights beamed off of Arnold's ruffled hair. "She was expressing that her true love will never forget her, no matter what. That their love was powerful enough to outlast any storm that came their way." Helga spoke louder so her voice wouldn't be drowned out by the sirens. As the paramedic opened the car door, gurney outside and ready, Arnold looked over at Helga once more.

"Do you think we could outlast this storm, Helga?" As the paramedic cut Arnold's seatbelt off of him and was gently removing him from the car, Helga leaned down and kissed both of Arnold's clammy hands before letting go. She leaned forward and whispered in his ear.

"Arnold, we can outlast a hurricane."

 **Ohmygodthiswassohardtowrite T.T I hate seeing my babies in pain but with pain comes beauty. Apparently, the antagonist decided to give them a little warning. I'll try to update as soon as I can, but unfortunately, that might not be for a week or a week and a half ;-; Please don't hate me! I hope you're all still captivated because honestly, the fun has only just begun ;) *cue evil laugh* Ahem. Until next time my fellow Football heads! xx**


	16. Chapter 16: Why Should We Trust You?

**I was so** **excited about writing out this chapter, that I couldn't wait! This chapter ends on a HUGE "OMG WHAT" moment so I must apologize ahead of time xD All will be explained in the next chapter! Another short chapter, but trust me, this chapter is a lot to chew on until next time ;)**

 **Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters, besides the characters that I created lol**

"Nice to meet you, Arnold. My name is Doctor Andrews and I'll be taking care of you today."

Arnold felt like his head was going to explode. His neck was so sore he couldn't move it an inch to the left or right. He had on a thick neck brace that helped prevent such movement, but the pain was still there. He winced as he tried to look up at the man with the clipboard.

"The pain medicine should be kicking in soon. His morphine IV will be giving him about 14 mg per hour, so it'll be hitting him soon." He directed the last part towards Stella, who was standing on the left side of Arnold's hospital bed.

"Ok, thank you. How long do you think the recovery will be?" Stella prompted. Doctor Andrews sighed and shrugged.

"Well as a doctor, you know it varies with each patient. Most see pain relief within six weeks. Rarely though, some neck pain could last for years after. This is a minor case of whiplash though so I don't think it'll be too long of a recovery for Arnold. As long as he wears the neckbrace consistently and takes his medicine as prescribed, he should be good as new in about a month." Stella smiled and nodded, putting a gentle hand on Arnold's shoulder.

"And Helga? Is she ok?" Arnold asked in a raspy voice. The brunette doctor flipped through his papers on his clipboard until he found Helga's chart.

"Ah yes, Miss Pataki. She has bruising on her collarbone and her neck from the seatbelt, but other than that she's completely fine. She's getting checked out right now to make sure there's no internal bleeding, but other than that she'll be ready to go by the time you've checked out." Arnold sighed in relief at hearing the doctors words. He had been worried for Helga since the car slammed into the tree. He felt the weight come off his shoulders knowing that she didn't get too badly hurt.

"And Mrs. Shortman, you just need to come back here to remove your stitches in about three to five days. Or I trust you could remove them yourself of course." Andrews chuckled as Stella touched the six tiny stitches above her right eyebrow.

"I do believe I can handle that. Thank you for taking care of my son and his friend." Andrews gave Stella a warm smile in return.

"It's my pleasure. A nurse will be here in just a moment to discharge you, Arnold. Helga should be discharged before you, but in case she's not, she's in room 56A."

Arnold couldn't nod, so he replied with an "Ok."

As Andrews left the room, Stella pulled up a chair by Arnold's bed. She gently stroked his hair lovingly as she stared at him with a frown.

"Everything ok, Mom?" Arnold questioned. Stella shook her head but tried to perk up visibly.

"My son is in a hospital bed, so things could definitely be better. I'm not chalking up that blown tire as a coincidence. Not after what happened last night." Arnold's blue eyes showed pure sadness, witnessing his mom looking so miserable. He loathed that all of this was happening because of him. He had no idea what he did to this guy, but he wished that he could sit down with him and try to talk to him. No problem can't be solved with communication.

"I second that." Arnold was thankful that the morphine had kicked in because without thinking, he turned his neck to the door once he heard Helga's voice. She stood in the door with a bandage on her collarbone, her bruises on her neck had become darker and more swollen. She walked over to Arnold's bedside and gently looped her fingers in his, careful not to knock off the clamp on his finger that monitored his heartbeat. Helga looked up at the machine and noticed that his heartbeat had risen slightly once she arrived. She smiled while looking at the jolted lines on the screen, proving that her beloved was still with her. The monotone _beep beep_ of the machine was one of the most beautiful sounds in the world to her at that moment.

"How're you feeling, Helga?" She looked from the heartline to Arnold's face. His neckbrace looked super uncomfortable, he had two IV's hooked up to him and he had bruising around his face. He looked like Harold had a field day with him and he was asking how she was feeling?

Helga didn't care that Stella was in the room. She knelt down and gave Arnold a light kiss on his forehead. "I'm fine now that I know you're ok." She barely spoke above a whisper, worried that her voice would crack. She cried earlier, fearing the worst, now she wanted to cry from sheer relief. Arnold could've easily broken his neck, but he didn't. She almost lost him and it made her bones go cold. Arnold smiled up at her, seeing stars and sparkles dance around her face.

"You're sparkling, Helga!" Arnold reached up and tried to grab a star, but it disappeared before he could take hold. Helga's eyebrow furrowed in confusion, then looked to Stella.

"Did I break him?" Stella laughed at Helga's question. She shook her head and was walking around his bed towards the door.

"No, you didn't break him, Helga. His morphine is making him a tad loopy. I'll let the doctor know and he'll lower it." Stella stepped out of the room and closed the door. Arnold was still watching the imaginary stars that were starting to become a halo around Helga's head. He let out a funny giggle as Helga smiled at him.

"You're like an angel, Helga! Did you know that?" Arnold's eyes were glazing over somewhat, but Helga couldn't help but laugh at his reaction to the pain medicine.

"I'll have to ask the Doc for a doggy bag of whatever they gave you, Football head." She heard the door open and saw Stella and Doctor Andrews return. Helga stepped aside for Andrews and Arnold instantly whimpered.

"No! Pretty girl stay!" Helga looked at him wide-eyed as Andrews let out a hearty chuckle.

"Don't worry Arnold, Helga isn't going anywhere. I have to get your IV's out so I need you to stay still for me, ok?" Arnold nodded stiffly thanks to the neck brace. Once the needles were removed from Arnold's arms, Andrews finished unhooking him from everything else.

"Ok, you're all ready to leave! Don't forget to check out at the window before you do though." Andrews waved at everyone as he left the room. Stella reached down and grabbed Arnold's clothes.

"Helga, would you mind stepping outside while Arnold gets dressed?" Arnold was already starting to take his shirt off, still high from the morphine. Helga felt her cheeks and neck burn as she quickly turned around.

"Y, Yeah of, of course! I'll just uh, be out in the hallway." She let out a nervous giggle as she left the room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Once Stella, Arnold, and Helga returned back to Sunset Arms, Miles ran toward's his wife and brought her into a tight embrace.

"Thank goodness you're all safe," Miles gave Stella a chaste kiss. "Was this caused by that lunatic?" He pointed toward the phone. Stella nodded slightly.

"I mean, we can't know for sure but I can't call it a coincidence." Miles got red in the face as he looked down at his son. Helga had an arm wrapped around his waist, supporting his weight.

"That's it. I'm calling the police." He began to walk towards the phone, but Stella grabbed his arm stopping him.

"Miles, we can't! If we call the police, who knows what he'll do to Arnold!"

"Stella he could've been killed! All three of you could've been killed! This has to end." Stella still kept a firm grip on her husband's arm. He was so angry Helga could see purple veins protruding from his arm muscles, and one menacing vein was popping from his forehead.

"Sweetheart, please just trust me. We can't risk Arnold's safety any more than it already is." Helga sat Arnold on the couch slowly and walked over to the arguing couple.

"Miles, I know calling the police might seem like a good idea, but think about it. This idiot made us wreck just to let us know he wasn't bluffing. Imagine what he'll do if we actually break one of his _rules_." Helga made air quotes around 'rules'. Miles closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The veins disappeared under his tanned skin, giving Stella the sign that it was safe to let go of him.

"When I find out who's putting my loved ones in danger, I'm going to make him feel pain in ways he didn't know was possible," Helga smirked, putting her hands on her hips.

"I'd love to help with that." Stella and Miles looked at each other and shared a knowing smile.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Gerald, you need to come over. Arnold's taking a nap but we can wake him once you get over here. Everyone's fine but we need to discuss things with you. Ok. Ok!" Helga hung up the phone and looked over at Arnold. He was fast asleep in bed, his neck brace making it impossible to sleep anywhere but on his back. Helga stood up and walked over to his side, grazing her fingers along his cheek.

"Oh, my beloved. I promise I will not stop until I find whoever is torturing you. You don't deserve any of this. Your kind heart deserves so much better than what has been brought upon you. If anyone deserves this, it's me..." Helga trailed off as she fought back tears. She had been nothing but mean and awful towards Arnold for years, so it should be _her_ wearing a neck brace, not Arnold. She sat down on the floor next to his bed, hearing him lightly snore. She leaned her head against his arm that was nearly dangling off the side. She nuzzled closer until she heard a light rap on the door.

She stood up and whispered towards the door. "Who is it?"

"It's Gerald, Helga. Let me in." She quickly opened the door and let Arnold's best friend enter. He looked over at Arnold and gasped.

"He looks worse than I thought. You seriously think this wacko is responsible for the wreck? You sure it wasn't some freak accident?" Helga rolled her eyes and sat down on the pullout couch.

"It wasn't an accident, Tall hair boy. It was a warning." Helga glanced over at Arnold and felt a pang in her chest.

 _If this is a warning, what would he do if he really wanted to harm Arnold?_ Helga shook her head to get the invading thoughts out of her brain. She couldn't think about that. Right now, Arnold needed positivity and she was determined to give him that.

Gerald walked over and sat next to Helga, hands on his knees. "Ok. So where do we start with the investigating? Do we know where he called from?"

Helga solemnly shook her head. "No, he called from a disposable number. Probably a flip phone of some sort." Gerald put his head in his hand in thought.

"Did he tell Arnold to do anything in the voicemail?" Helga groaned and stood up, beginning to pace.

"No, but he said that there would be times that he would want to meet up with him, and if anyone followed him there would be consequences." Gerald raised his head and pointed towards Arnold.

"And _this_ isn't a consequence? If this is a warning, I don't want to see what his punishments are like." Helga gulped and fisted her shaking hands.

"We're not going to, because we're going to find this creep before he gets a chance to hurt Arnold again, ok?" Gerald smiled and stood up.

"For once Pataki, we're on the same page. I'm in." Helga smiled as she handed Gerald the phone.

"Good. Your first mission, call Phoebe and tell her to come over ASAP. We need her to listen to the voicemail and see if she doesn't recognize any background noise." Gerald looked at Helga puzzled.

"What do you mean?" Helga sighed frustratingly.

"I _mean_ , if we hear kids laughing, then he was near a playground or a park. If we hear car horns, then he was in downtown. Clues are key here and if there are any, Phoebe will find them. Now start dialing!" Gerald, being secretly impressed with Helga's detective skills, quickly typed in Phoebe's number. Helga was about to return to Arnold's side when she heard a commotion from downstairs.

 _"Oh my god!"_

Helga recognized it to be Stella's voice. Gerald looked panicked as Helga put a finger to her lips, silencing him.

"Don't say anything! Watch Arnold!" Helga whispered. Gerald nodded his head, the phone still wedged between his shoulder and ear. Helga ran downstairs and noticed that the front door was open, Stella and Miles standing in the doorway. Helga moved beside them and saw a familiar face.

"Elena? What're you doing here?" Helga looked up at Stella and Miles, who were pale as a ghost, staring at the young Hispanic girl.

"I'm here to help Arnold. I'm not leaving until you accept my help." Elena folded her arms defiantly. She still had physical reminders of her beating, but that didn't stop Elena from looking downright stubborn and, well, vicious.

Helga stepped in front of Arnold's parents as she put her hands on her hips. "Why do you want to help Arnold so badly? In fact, none of this happened until _you_ showed up. How do we know you're not behind all of this?" Helga took a menacing step towards Elena, who remained unmoved.

"I would never hurt Arnold! You have to believe me."

"Yeah? And why should I?" Helga was nearly nose to nose with Elena. Neither girl flinched.

"Because I love him." Elena said without pause. Helga couldn't help but flinch as if she'd been struck. Elena _loved_ Arnold? She didn't even know him!

 _Well, I guess that settles it. I'm about to throw Elena in a trashcan and roll her into the next town._

"Well guess what brown eyes, I love him too and I can guarantee that I love him more than a girl who has known him for a week!" Helga felt a hand get placed on her shoulder. She looked up and saw that it was Stella. Her eyes never left Elena's direction.

"Helga, stop." Stella's voice shook. Helga was completely flabbergasted. Stella was taking the side of the girl that _no one knew anything about?!_ Helga felt like screaming but tried to reel back her anger.

"Stella, seriously? We don't know anything about this girl!" Stella and Miles finally looked at each other, then both looked down at Helga.

"The thing is, Helga, we do know something about her." Helga looked at Elena, who didn't seem shocked or phased at all really. In fact, Elena was sporting a small smile. Helga felt her temper getting worse and worse. If she didn't get answers soon, she was about to throw and or break something.

Helga raised her hands in surrender. "Ok then, _someone_ enlighten me. Why in the world should we trust you, Elena?"

Elena sighed, looked to Stella and Miles, who nodded in unison. Elena stepped forward and took a deep breath.

"Because I'm Arnold's sister."

 **Until next time my fellow Football heads! xx**


	17. Chapter 17: Delving and Discovering

**Did you really think I'd leave you hanging for long with that plot twist? ;) Yes, it's confirmed, Elena is Arnold's sister! Just a reminder that this story has so many plot twists and "omg what" moments! So always remember to keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times, and enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or the original characters.**

"Helga? Helga, can you hear me?"

Stella noticed that Helga was finally waking up after fainting at the front door. Elena brought a glass of water and set it on the table beside the couch, where Helga laid.

"Maybe I shouldn't have said anything," Elena mumbled as she looked to the floor. "Eduardo told me not to tell Arnold just yet, and now that Helga knows, she'll surely tell him." Stella reached over and placed her pointer finger underneath Elena's chin, lifting her face up.

"Elena, you did nothing wrong. Once we explain everything to Helga, I'm sure she'll agree to keep it a secret." Miles stood beside Elena, which she instinctively leaned onto his leg.

"Well, secret for now. Arnold has a right to know that he has a sister." Elena looked up at Miles and knew that he was telling the truth. She wanted to tell Arnold everything when she saw him in San Lorenzo, but once she saw how happy he was with his friends, how could she do something like that to him? Telling him that she was his sister would turn his world upside down, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to be responsible for that. She cursed herself for revealing herself to Helga. She hated how smug she got sometimes, and for once she wanted to have the upper hand. She just didn't know that having the upper hand would've resulted in Helga losing consciousness.

Everyone turned their attention towards Helga when she started to groan. "Ugh, what happened? I feel like I've been hit by a truck." She grabbed her head as Stella leaned forward.

"Helga, sweetie? You fainted but you're alright." Helga blinked a few times, trying to make her fuzzy vision become more clear. She began to look around the room and as soon as she saw Elena, everything flooded back to her.

Elena is...Arnold's _sister_?

Helga sat up quickly, which made her dizzy. She grabbed onto the couch cushion, silently begging any higher power for her not to faint again. Stella put a hand on her shoulder to steady her.

"Shh relax, Helga. Take it easy." Elena seeing Helga this way made her feel more guilty than she expected. Sure, Helga could be mean and a bit outspoken, but she wasn't a bad person. She knew that Helga did, in fact, love Arnold with everything she had, so Elena had to give her the benefit of the doubt. If Arnold saw something good in her, no matter how microscopic, then it was definitely there. She stepped forward slowly, as to not spook Helga.

"Helga? I'm _so_ sorry that I unloaded such shocking information on you. I meant to keep it a secret, honest!" Helga looked into Elena's brown eyes, and she knew that she was serious. She sat up on the couch, gently swinging her legs over the edge, sitting in front of Elena.

"So...let me get this straight. You...are Arnold's sister? Like, for real sister?" Elena looked at Stella, seeing if she would explain. Stella nodded and turned her attention to the rattled blonde.

"Well, not by blood. Miles and I adopted her in San Lorenzo long ago." Helga felt a bit less confused now that she had that bit of information. That explained why Arnold had blonde hair and green eyes, while Elena had brown hair and brown eyes.

"Her parents died in a tragic hut fire. Miles went in to save them, but he was too late. He was about to get out of the hut before the ceiling collapsed, but..." Stella's eyes began to water and she looked up at Miles.

"I heard a cry. Like an infant cry. I ran in the direction of it and that's where I found Elena. She couldn't have been more than a year old, about Arnold's age at the time actually. I picked her up and got us out of there." Helga looked at Elena, who was now wiping away stray tears that trailed down her cheeks.

"Stella and I agreed that, even though we couldn't be with Arnold for the time being, we could still be parents to someone who needed us. We knew in our hearts that one day we'd reunite with Arnold. But when we found Elena," Miles looked down at the trembling child. "we instantly fell in love. We couldn't have loved her more if Stella had given birth to her herself."

Helga shook her head. "Wait, then why didn't you take her with you when you returned back home? It would've been perfect timing to tell Arnold." Elena stepped forward before Stella could continue.

"Helga, they were worried how Arnold would've taken the news. I mean, he had just gotten his parents back. His world had become practically new, so they didn't feel it was the right time." Elena walked over to Stella and grabbed her hand. "They left me with Eduardo. They knew he would take care of me. They said they'd come for me once they felt it was the right time to tell Arnold. But..." Elena tightened her hold on her mother's hand. Stella looked at her, concern laced in her eyes.

"And that's where even Miles and I are in the dark. What are you doing here, Elena? Where's Eduardo?" Elena, for some reason, looked at Helga while she replied to Stella.

"Eduardo and I are staying at a safe house. We're here because Arnold and everyone else is in great danger." Miles and Stella looked at each other with wide eyes. They then looked at Helga, who of course didn't seem surprised.

"So you traveled all the way from San Lorenzo to Hillwood, just to protect Arnold?" Helga inquired. Elena nodded and stepped towards Helga, letting go of Stella's hand.

"I told you I loved Arnold. I wasn't lying. Even though he has no idea who I really am, as far as I'm concerned, he might as well be my blood brother. I'd do anything to make sure he was safe. Him and anyone else he loved." Elena leaned forward and put a hand on Helga's knee. "And I learned very quickly that you fall in that category, Helga. I've seen the way Arnold looks at you. It's like no one else exists. And if you're important to Arnold, then you're important to me too."

Helga didn't really know what to say. It wasn't even a secret that had anything to do with her, and she fainted! How would Arnold react to this? She had to admit, even though Arnold and Elena weren't related by blood, she could clearly see the resemblance between the two. Not physically, but mentally. Elena was super thoughtful and big-hearted, but she knew when to put her foot down and get down to business. Maybe even a bit more than Arnold, which put her in the same league as Helga in the attitude department. Whether that was good or bad, she wasn't entirely sure yet. She knew one thing though, if Elena loved Arnold as much as she claimed, she and Helga would get along just fine.

Helga shooed her hand off her knee. "Yeah yeah, don't get all touchy-feely on me now. So, I'm guessing you want me to keep this secret?" Elena frowned as she folded her hands.

"Please. Once we take care of the danger, we can explain everything to him."

"Speaking of danger, who is he and what's his endgame?" Gerald exclaimed as he trotted downstairs. Helga completely forgot that he was held up in Arnold's room.

"Gerald! How much of this did you hear?" Helga wasn't sure if she could handle everyone knowing a secret but Arnold. She knew he had every right to know, so she knew it would take extra incentive to keep it from him. Gerald glided over to the recliner and plopped in it.

"That Elena is Arnold's sister? Yeah, I had my freak out too but I calmed down before I came downstairs." Everyone looked at him with open mouths.

"You do know that we're keeping this a secret, right?" Elena cocked an eyebrow. She knew that Gerald was Arnold's best friend, so if anyone let the cat out of the bag, it'd be him.

"I don't know why, but yeah my lips are sealed. My man deserves to know though! He's upstairs right now wondering where everyone's at anyway."

Helga stood up quickly. "He's awake and you're just now telling us this?!" Gerald put his hands up by his face.

"Whoa whoa! He's fine, Pataki sheesh! Go check on him if you don't believe me!" Without saying another word, Helga raced up the stairs to get to Arnold. Elena looked from the stairs to her parents.

"She really does love him, doesn't she?" Stella and Miles sighed happily as they nodded.

Helga opened the door to Arnold's room and saw that he was still laying in bed, but this time she could tell that he was awake. She walked over to him and raked her fingers through his hair. Not a tangle to be found in his soft locks. Arnold opened his eyes and looked up at Helga.

"Arnold?" Helga's voice shook, afraid of what he would say. It'd be the first time since the wreck that she could have a proper conversation with him, without him being influenced by painkillers. Arnold looked into Helga's crystal eyes and broke out into a smile.

"Helga."

She couldn't help but fall to her knees and put her face on his stomach. She couldn't describe the relief she felt knowing that he was alright. Hearing him say her name with such clarity made her legs give out. Arnold placed a hand on her head and started to pet her like one would pet a kitten.

"Is everything ok?" he asked meekly. Helga looked up and grabbed both of his hands. She kissed each and every one of his knuckles, never breaking eye contact.

"You're awake. Everything is amazing now." Arnold chuckled and gazed at her with his classic half-lidded look. When he first woke up and didn't see Helga, he instantly felt panic in his stomach. When he looked over and saw Gerald though, he felt somewhat better. Once Gerald explained that Helga was downstairs and that she hadn't left, Arnold could've done cartwheels even in his present injured state. He thought back to the hospital and started to get memories flooding back to him. He started to turn scarlet.

"Um, did I call you an angel at the hospital?" Helga smirked at him as she got up and sat next to him on the bed.

"You sure did, Arnaldo. And don't you think I'm _ever_ going to let you forget it." She pointed a mocking finger at him as Arnold rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure you won't." Helga smiled lovingly at her Football headed prince. She couldn't believe that even though there was someone who wanted to hurt him, and they succeeded, he was still able to smile and stay positive. She admired that about Arnold so much that she could feel the emotions bubbling over. Without so much as a warning, she leaned her face towards Arnold and gave him a short sweet kiss. When she separated from him, she saw that he had a goofy smile plastered on his face. She would give her right kidney away if it meant that his smile never left him.

"What was that for?" Arnold asked innocently. Helga leaned her head to the side as she continued to play with his hair.

"For a lot of reasons. Too many to list, really." Arnold pushed himself up carefully in a sitting position so he could face Helga properly. Their faces not five inches apart.

"I've got time," Arnold whispered. Helga let out one of her classic high pitched sighs that Arnold had grown to enjoy.

"For right now, the main reason is that I love you. And I'm so glad you're ok. I don't know what I would've done if I lost you-"

Arnold brought both of his hands to the sides of her face. "Don't think about that. The thing to focus on is that you didn't lose me. I'm still here and I'm not going anywhere." Arnold rubbed her cheek with his thumb.

"And I love you, too." Helga felt her eyes water again. She shook her head to try and get herself together.

"As much as I want to sit here and listen to you tell me sweet things, there are more important matters at hand. I need to get you downstairs, pronto." Helga carefully helped Arnold out of bed. He was wearing the same pajamas that he wore when he showed up at Gerald Field acting all disorientated.

"What's downstairs, Helga?" She grabbed his hand and led him to the door.

"It's not so much a 'what', but a 'who'. Elena showed up while you were taking your nap." Arnold gasped, which made him twinge in pain.

"Elena? What is she doing here?" Helga put her hands on Arnold's shoulders to calm him down.

"Don't worry, Football head. She checks out. She really is trying to help us. We have to come up with a game plan if we want to beat this sicko." Arnold looked at her skeptically.

"Wait. What made you suddenly trust her?" Helga opened her mouth and began to look everywhere but at Arnold. She hated lying to him. She didn't mind keeping the secret of her love for him, but this was an entirely different level of secrecy that she really wasn't comfortable with. She promised Elena though that she would keep her lips zipped until it was 'the right time', whatever or whenever that would be.

"Just...just trust me, Arnold. I, I can't explain why but I just do, ok?" Arnold could tell that Helga was keeping something from him, which led him to wonder how she was able to keep her feelings a secret from him for so long. She wouldn't even look him in the eyes. She obviously knew something, and to be honest, he was kind of hurt that she would be willing to hide something from him, but he had to do what Helga said and trust her. With where they were at in their relationship, he knew she wouldn't keep something from him unless it was for a really good reason.

Arnold nodded. "Ok, Helga. I trust you."

Helga sighed in relief as she opened the bedroom door and led him downstairs. As Arnold reached the bottom, his eyes landed on Elena who was sitting on the couch. His parents were standing side by side across from her. Miles had his arm around Stella, but Arnold could tell there was some tension there. Gerald was sitting in the recliner. He approached Elena with Helga by his side.

"Elena? What're you doing here?" He felt Helga's hand on his back, her finger drawing slow circles to try and relax him.

Elena played with her hands and couldn't stop looking at Arnold's neck brace. "I mostly came to check on you. Word got around school that you were in a car accident."

"Uh yeah, but I'm ok. My mom and Helga are fine too." Arnold added at the end. It kinda ticked him off that she didn't even regard them and their well being.

"Elena asked us how we were when she first arrived, sweetheart." Stella mumbled. Arnold felt the blood rise to his face. He sent Elena an apologetic smile.

"I also came to tell you who is doing this to you." Arnold walked over to the couch and sat next to Elena. Helga stayed in place, but her eyes never left Arnold.

"I...I'm so sorry I wouldn't listen to you before, Elena. I feel like if I had heard you out, the car accident wouldn't have happened. I put people I care about in danger..." Helga stepped forward and pointed a finger at him.

"Don't you dare blame yourself! None of this is your fault." Helga said firmly. She refused to let Arnold feel the tiniest bit guilty about any of this. Elena nodded.

"Helga's right, Arnold. You're not to blame for this," Elena paused and sighed. "Santiago is."

Everyone looked around, seeing if someone recognized the name. "None of you have met Santiago, but you've met his father. All of you have."

Arnold's brow furrowed in deep thought. "We have? I don't remember meeting anyone with the last name of 'Sanchez'." He looked at everyone else, and they nodded, confirming his doubt.

"That's because Santiago took his mother's last name at birth. His father was LaSombra." Everyone let out a collective gasp, and then pure silence.

"So wait a minute...this guy is LaSombra's son?" Gerald questioned as he stood up and walked over next to Helga.

"Yes. He believes that Arnold is responsible for his father's death, so he's seeking revenge. And trust me when I say that he will not stop until he has it." Stella and Miles glanced at Arnold with hurt-filled eyes. They both knew _exactly_ who Santiago was, but couldn't speak up without Arnold questioning how they knew. They both hoped and prayed that he wasn't who they thought it was, but as soon as LaSombra was mentioned, their sneaking suspicions were confirmed.

"Out of pure curiosity, um, what is Santiago's idea of revenge?" Helga's voice became high pitched as she held her arms. Everyone could see Elena visibly flinch.

"He wants Arnold miserable. He wants to ruin his life like he believes Arnold has done to him. His top priority is to..." Elena felt like her tongue became thicker which prevented her from getting the words out.

"His top priority is...?" Arnold repeated. He was dreading the answer, but he needed to know what exactly he needed to protect his family from. Elena closed her eyes, not wanting to see anyone's facial expression.

"He wants to kill everyone you love, Arnold. Your parents, Gerald, and Helga. But if he can't achieve that, he'll just come for you."

Helga stomped over to Elena, bent down and got nose to nose with her. "He won't lay a finger on Arnold, or any of us for that matter. You're going to tell us how to beat him and you're going to tell us _now_." Helga spoke in a calm voice, but everyone could hear the insinuating threats that were threaded in her words. Elena gulped at Helga's close proximity.

"I plan on it." Arnold felt the room start to spin slightly, but he pulled himself together. How embarrassing would it be if he fainted in front of everyone? He just couldn't believe that this Santiago person wanted to go to such lengths as murder! Arnold technically wasn't responsible for LaSombra's death! LaSombra was killed by his own greed and, well, pure evilness. Arnold was protecting his friends, and unfortunately, it ended with someone dying. He hated to think of it this way, but better it be LaSombra than Gerald or Helga.

"Elena, Santiago beat you into a concussion the last time you talked to me. Why would you risk it?" Elena looked over to Stella and Miles so briefly, Arnold didn't catch it.

"Because believe it or not Arnold, you mean a great deal to me. I don't want to see you or anyone you care about getting hurt. I'll do everything I can to help you." Arnold smiled and placed a hand on her slender shoulder.

"Thank you, Elena. It really means a lot." The Hispanic girl felt her eyes water as she looked at Arnold. Even though he didn't know about their connection just yet, she felt uplifted seeing the amount of care and concern in his eyes. Having that directed towards her was a dream come true, and she knew she would stop at nothing to protect him. She looked over at Helga, who gave her a small smile and a secret wink.

"So what're we waiting for? We've got a crazy Santiago to catch!" Gerald clapped his hands together once and looked at the group.

"Not without me, you're not." Everyone turned towards the front door and saw Phoebe stand there holding her laptop. She adjusted her glasses and stole a look in Gerald's direction. He blushed at Phoebe's gaze, which was interrupted with Helga running at her for a hug.

"About time, Pheebz! Are you ready to get started?" Phoebe giggled as she walked over to the living room table, placing her laptop down and opening it.

"Sorry Helga, but I'm afraid I've already started. Santiago Sanchez," Phoebe typed quickly at her laptop. "He's seventeen years old, he was born December 3rd to Roberta Sanchez and of course, Edmundo LaSombra. Hmm..." Phoebe scrolled down to look at Santiago's family tree. "It seems that LaSombra had a brother named..." Phoebe froze.

"What was his name? Spit it out, Phoebe!" Helga snapped her fingers to get her best friend's attention.

"...Eduardo. Eduardo LaSombra." Everyone looked at Stella and Miles with wide eyes.

"Wait, _our_ Eduardo is LaSombra's brother? Why didn't he ever tell us?" Stella felt her forehead break out in a sweat.

"If you had a lunatic sociopath as a brother, would you tell people about it?" Miles asked hypothetically. Helga looked at Elena, who had become two shades lighter in skin tone. She couldn't outright ask Elena if she knew about this since Arnold was in the room, but by the look on her face, she had a feeling that this was news to her.

"That explains how he was able to impersonate Eduardo so well." Arnold thought back to when he discovered he had been fooled by LaSombra. He felt like such an idiot! "So, we need to get in touch with Eduardo and see if he knows anything about Santiago! Maybe he has an idea of how to stop him." Stella and Miles nodded.

"Good idea, Arnold. We have um, resources that could get ahold of him." Arnold felt somewhat better with this bit of information. They were farther than where they started a mere hour ago, so he felt more optimistic about everything. He knew him and everyone else would be ok because he was a firm believer that at the end of the day, good always triumphs over bad. He turned his whole body to look at Helga, who had migrated back to his side. He reached and grabbed her hand.

 _Good always triumphs over bad._

 **Alright, guys! I'm thinking I'll be able to put out another chapter this weekend, so you won't have to wait too much longer! Tell me what you think so far! The next chapter will be a flashback type which will look into Santiago's past! It will explain why he is the way he is and where he's at mentally during the present time. At this rate, this story will** ** _definitely_** **be over 30 chapters xD And sorry to say, Arnold didn't lose his memory! Memory loss will happen, but not for about 6 to 7 more chapters! (I'm estimating lol) I hope everyone is still enjoying the story :) Until next time my fellow football heads! xx**


	18. Chapter 18: Does It Have A Silencer?

**Oh boy guys, this chapter was really difficult to write! :x This chapter introduces Santiago and lets you peak into his personality and mindset somewhat. I really didn't want this protagonist to simply be evil and crazy. I want readers to feel something for this character. The reasons why he's doing what he's doing and why they're so important to him. I'm actually so excited to evolve this character and let you see more and more of his personality. I want him to be a 3-dimensional character, as much as Helga and Arnold are! This chapter is starting with a flashback, so don't be confused! Let me know how I did, let me know how you feel about how the story is going so far, and as always, I hope you all enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or the original characters. I do own Elena, Santiago, and Samuel though!**

The hut was on fire and it wasn't my fault.

I see my father run out of the burning building, but he was no hero saving an innocent person. He had a satchel tucked under his arm and he was sprinting through the smoke towards the dock. I did as I was told and sat in the boat, obviously, so I was protected from the fire.

"Santiago! Move!" He yelled as he jumped on the boat. He pushed me to the side as he got to the steering wheel. I looked back at the hut and all I saw were bright and angry flames shooting up towards the night sky. Orange and red, they engulfed the stars and the smoke was billowing towards us. I started to cough, my lungs felt like they were pregnant with flames as well.

"Papa?" I called out, feeling more and more frightened. My eyes were glued to the now collapsing hut, the flames seemed to reach higher and higher until I was sure it could touch the pearly gates.

I heard crying and screaming in the distance and it made my bones rattle. My body jerked as the boat roared to life. Before I knew it, we were speeding away from the island, the sound of desperate cries fading away. Once we were far away enough that the land was barely visible, I walked up to my father who still had the satchel tucked under his armpit.

"Papa, what happened to that hut?" I asked nervously. I had a bad feeling that people were hurt, and I knew it was from my Papa's doing. Surely he had a good reason as to why he caused so much damage? He looked down at me, one hand on the wheel and one ruffling my thick raven hair.

"You don't need to worry about that, Lobo. I, er, _we_ got what we needed and that's all that matters." I glanced again toward the leather satchel. It had burn marks on it and it smelt of smoke. It tickled and burned my nose at the same time.

"What did we get?" I asked in my small voice. I couldn't wait for the day that my voice became as deep as Papas. I was only nine though, so I still had plenty of time. He looked behind us as if to check and make sure we weren't being tailed. After he was pleased with what he saw, he stopped the boat in open water and knelt beside me. He opened up the satchel and revealed a whole bunch of gold coins. They twinkled and shined brighter than almost anything I had ever laid eyes on!

"We got gold, my Lobo. Beautiful, _beautiful_ gold..." Papa stared at the coins as if he had been hypnotized. I could see why he loved it so much, it was indeed very pretty to look at.

"What're we going to use it for, Papa?" He looked at me with his wide deep brown eyes. A smile was plastered on his face, his white teeth glistening.

"We're going to use it for _marvelous_ things. You'll see." I smiled back at him and nodded. I still felt bad about the hut though and wished Papa could just explain to me what happened. Curiosity was always my major downfall, as Papa put it. He put a calloused hand on my shoulder.

"Santiago, one thing you must learn about this life is that if you want something, you have to _take_ it. You must always look out for yourself because, at the end of the day, when you're falling apart, no one will put you back together but yourself. It's called self-preservation. Live it, learn it, love it." I looked at him and nodded. Papa did have a point. All of our family did abandon us. Even Uncle Eduardo left us, which still stung to think about. I remembered us playing checkers and him giving me chocolate, even though Papa said no. All I know is that one day, Papa and Uncle Eduardo got into some huge fight. After that, I never saw him again. Papa told me he left because he didn't love us anymore. I cried for days until Papa finally beat some sense into me. Crying is for the weak, and the weak never survive.

I looked at my Papa and smiled. Even though Mama died while giving birth to me, he still took care of me and protected me. He taught me so many valuable life lessons, and I'd do anything to make him proud! I wanted to be strong and brave just like him! I puffed out my chest and lifted my head, trying to make myself seem taller and tougher.

"Go ahead and go to bed, my Lobo. Get some rest and when you wake up, we'll stop and have a hearty breakfast, fit for kings!" He returned to steer the wheel, cradling the satchel like a newborn.

I yawned, remembering how little sleep I got last night.

I hugged Papas leg firmly. "Ok. Buenos Noches, Papa." I dragged my feet towards the door, which led to my bed in the lower level. I crawled into bed and let the rocking of the boat lull me into slumber.

...7 years later...

"Santiago! Where do you want this?"

I looked over and saw that Samuel was getting a light purple purse out of his black backpack. I strolled over to him and snatched the bag out of his hand.

" _Please_ tell me you didn't snatch this off some old broad." Samuel rolled his eyes and sat on an old wooden chair we got from a junkyard.

"I'm not that stupid, Jefe. I switched a fake purse with the real one while she wasn't looking." I looked through the bag and found a collection of sorts. Chapstick, a package of gum, a cell phone...

 _Aha! A wallet._

I quickly opened the snakeskin wallet to find different credit cards, random receipts, and about eighty dollars in cash. I looked to Samuel with a Cheshire cat grin smeared on my face. I patted his shoulder proudly.

"You did good work, Sam. Now, are you sure no one saw you?" Samuel let out a 'pft' and shook his head. He kicked up his feet and laid them on a box near him.

"Absolutely not. Trust me, I've got you." I chuckled as I snatched the cash out and shoved it in my jeans pocket. I took out the credit cards and threw them to Samuel.

"Here. Go get us some food and clothes. If these aren't maxed out, they will be by tonight. Hurry before she cancels them. _Go!_ "

Samuel grabbed the plastic cards and ran out of the room. After he left, I looked around and stuck up my nose in disgust. It smelt dank and moldy here, but it was the best I could do under such circumstances. This building had been abandoned for years, so there was no chance of anyone walking in and catching us randomly. I walked over to the white plastic lawn table that we took, yet again, from the junkyard. I looked down at the very few supplies I brought from San Lorenzo. A flashlight, some nuts and fruit...

And a brown leather satchel.

I smiled mournfully as I fingered the string on it. It still had scorch marks on it, and maybe it was just me, but I swear I could still smell smoke on it. I still couldn't believe that I found this, but it was never to leave my sight again. It held as a reminder of what my Papa told me: Self-preservation is everything. Thinking about all of the life lessons he didn't get to teach me, and now never will, made my chest burn and stomach curdle.

All because of some stupid Football headed kid.

I looked over at the cell phone that came with the bag.

"Hmm." I picked up the phone, analyzing it closely. I pocketed it for now, as I walked over to the laptop Samuel had swiped from some distracted high school student.

True, they were distracted because I threw an apple at their head. But it worked, didn't it?

I sat down crisscrossed on the ground, laptop in front of my legs. I began typing away, deciding to look up this Arnold character.

"Can't be that special." I mumbled as I scrolled through Google searches. I ground my teeth once I saw how highly praised this kid was.

"Arnold Shortman: Winner of Spelling Bee. Arnold Shortman: Winner of San Lorenzo Video Contest. Arnold, Arnold, _Arnold_..." I growled menacingly. How could so many people see this kid as an angel, when he _murdered_ someone? Did he honestly think he could take away my Papa and get away with it?

He had another thing coming.

I pushed the laptop away and started rummaging through my bag for the phonebook I stole from a post office. I began to flip through the yellow pages until I came across the P's.

"Peter, Pharrell, Pharris... _Ah_ , Phil Shortman." I chuckled as I quickly wrote down the phone number. I stuffed it into the same pocket that held the cash, my other hand reaching over for the cell phone.

"I think it's time to send a little 'Hello' to the Shortman family."

I had to admit, I felt a little giddy as I heard the phone ring.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I woke up to Papa pouring ice water on me.

I woke up gasping from the cold biting my skin. I looked over and saw him standing over me, metal bucket in hand.

"Buenos Dias, Lobo. We've arrived at our new home!" I instantly became excited and happy, even though I was furiously shivering.

"R-Really P-P-Papa? Where a-a-are we?" I held my arms, trying and failing to warm myself again. My teeth chattered loudly. Papa snatched the now soaking wet blanket off me and threw it to the ground.

"Dry yourself off and get dressed, boy." he called out as he began to leave.

"And welcome to San Lorenzo."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I chuckled as I clicked off the call, leaving my voicemail. I threw the phone to the ground and stepped on it, smashing it into bits. Oh, how I _wish_ I could see everyone's faces once they listen to my rather inviting message.

Samuel returned with shopping bags filled with clothes and groceries. He placed them on the table and groaned.

"Ya know, you could come along sometime and help me carry some bags, Jefe." He was doubled over, hands on knees, catching his breath. I chuckled darkly as I scuffled the cell phone pieces with my boot.

"If you can't handle a few bags, Sam," In the blink of an eye, I grabbed him by his shirt collar, turned quickly and slammed him against the wall. His amber eyes went wide with fear. "Then you definitely won't be able to handle what I have in store for you." He gulped audibly, which made me grin in triumph. Papa was right: being feared _is_ better than being loved.

"Whoa whoa whoa! I was just joking! You know I don't mind helping you with this, Santiago! Your father was a good man! I want to get back at the little twerp as much as you do!" Samuel spoke quickly. I growled as I let go of him, his feet finally touching the ground again. I still remained in his face as I pointed a singular finger at him.

"No one wants this kid's demise as much as I do. _No one_. Got it?" Samuel nodded so quickly that I could see his cheeks jiggle.

"Got it!" I turned around and walked away, not wanting to smell his rancid breath anymore. I looked around the room and saw a black briefcase leaning against the wall by the front door. I took titanic steps towards it, crouching down and clicking it open. A beautiful Smith & Wesson M&P22 Compact gleamed up at me, and the butterflies returned to my stomach.

"Sam, does this thing have a silencer?" I got up quickly and went to my bag to dig out my gloves. I slid them on and sauntered back over to the gun. I picked it up and marveled at its beauty. This was the main reason why I chose Samuel to come with me on my little revenge adventure: his father had a gun collection that I had been _itching_ to get my hands on. I slid my fingers across the cool metal barrel in wonderment.

 _So much power for such a small object_ , I pondered.

"Of course, here's the silencer and the adapter for it." Samuel took it out of his side pocket and handed it over to me. I took it gratefully and began building the gun up. Samuel rung his hands nervously as he stared, burning holes into my back.

"I uh, I thought we weren't going to use that unless we had to?" I finished putting the gun together, and pointed it at the wall, admiring my viewpoint and picturing what could be on the other end of the weapon. So many possibilities.

"Well, Samuel, let me ask you something," I lowered the gun to my side and turned my neck to look at him. "How else would you stop a moving car? Hmm?"

 **And there you go! :) Now you have an idea of why Santiago is doing what he's doing. Of course, as the story progresses, more flashbacks will be done of his past so you can learn more about him. And yes, I purposefully made this chapter first person because I wanted the readers to really get inside Santiago's mind. With Arnold and Helga, we know their personalities inside and out. Santiago though, being a new character** ** _and_** **the protagonist, I thought it would be beneficial for the readers to** ** _be_** **him for a bit (so to speak). Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it! Until next time my fellow Football heads! xx**


	19. Chapter 19: I'm Just Helga

**Ok everyone! I need to correct a mistake I made in the last chapter! I accidentally called Santiago a protagonist xD This is what happens when you run on 5 hours of sleep O.o He is 100% the antagonist! Again, so sorry if I confused anyone! Anyway, here is chapter 19! The next chapter might not be up for a little while because I'm thinking about writing two or three chapters at a time and then putting out all three in one day! It would make for a longer break in between updates, but you'd have more to read in the meantime! Would that be something you guys would prefer or are you guys ok with the singular chapter updates every other day? Let me know!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or the characters. I only own Elena, Santiago, and Samuel!**

Elena, Arnold, Gerald, and Helga were sitting upstairs in Arnold's bedroom trying to come up with a game plan. Arnold sat on his bed with Helga by his side, Gerald laid on the pullout couch while Elena paced back and forth across the room. Helga looked up at the dark-haired girl and growled.

"If you don't stop pacing, I'm going to put glue on your butt and stick you to a seat." Elena looked at Helga incredulously.

Arnold sighed. "Trust me when I tell you that she will _absolutely_ put glue on your butt." Elena looked between the two blondes and decided to go ahead and take a seat. She still didn't really know Helga well enough to know if she would follow through with her threats. According to Arnold though, it sounded like she would. It even sounded like he knew from experience.

"Ok, so what do we do while Phoebe and your parents are gone? Just sit and wait for another phone call? It sounded like he would be back in touch." Gerald asked, his tone laced with nerves. Arnold's parents and Phoebe went to local markets to see if anyone had seen any teenagers stealing anything. Plus, Phoebe had a friend who could edit the voicemail and see if any noticeable sounds or voices could be heard in the background. In the meantime, the rest of the group were just sitting and thinking.

"I guess so, Gerald. Mom and Dad made it perfectly clear that they didn't want us doing anything too risky. The only reason they involved Phoebe is because her friend could help with the voicemail."

Helga stood up and put her hands on her hips, clearly irritated.

"We can help just as much as Phoebe! Well," She took a look at Arnold's neckbrace. "Most of us can." Arnold looked to the ground and sighed, feeling discouraged. He hated that he couldn't help everyone very much, thanks to his injuries. It was all his fault and now he was limited on how much he could do for everyone. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so depressed.

Elena noticed Arnold's glum look and stood up from the desk chair. "Could I talk to Arnold alone for a minute, guys?" Helga and Gerald looked between her and Arnold, bewildered. Helga chuckled harshly.

"I don't think so, _Princess_. Anything you have to say in front of Arnold, you can say in front of me and Tall Hair Boy." Elena looked to Arnold with pleading eyes. He had no idea what she needed to talk to him in private for, and Helga did have a point, but he couldn't ignore how Elena was looking at him. The last time he refused a conversation with her, it lead to awful consequences. Whatever she had to say, she didn't feel comfortable saying in front of Gerald and Helga.

"It's ok guys. Go ahead and go downstairs and make something to eat for lunch. We'll be down in a minute." Gerald didn't put up a fight, already making his way toward the door. Helga, on the other hand, let her arms fall beside her and stare at Arnold.

"Are, Are you sure?" She asked hesitantly. Arnold gave her a small smile, holding his hand out. She was quick to grab it.

"I'm sure. I'm pretty sure I'll be safe for 5 minutes, Helga. But I appreciate the concern." He brought his hand up to his lips, kissing her knuckles lightly, never breaking eye contact with her. She still looked doubtful, but she nodded in agreement. She reached up and raked her fingers through his hair once before turning around and giving Elena a warning look. She didn't know Helga too well, but she knew her well enough to read into her stare.

 _Don't screw anything up._

Elena gave her a small nod that Arnold didn't notice. Once Helga and Gerald left the room, Elena walked over and sat beside Arnold. No one spoke for a bit, but Elena finally broke the silence.

"So Helga is really protective over you, huh?" Arnold twisted his body around to face her and gave Elena a knowing look.

"That's not what you wanted to talk about Elena." She looked to the ground, folding her hands in her lap.

"But to answer your question, yes. She is a bit... smothering lately. But I can't really blame her. If she was in my shoes, I'm pretty sure I'd be acting the same way." Elena let out a quick breath of air, that one could call a small laugh.

"There's no doubt that you would, Arnold." Elena turned her body as well to face Arnold. Both were now sitting crisscross on his bed, facing each other. Their knees were almost touching.

"What did you want to talk about, Elena?" She brought her eyes up to his glass ceiling, suddenly feeling very nervous. She needed to tell him how much he meant to her, but she couldn't tell him about them being related right now. She knew what she wanted to say, but all of the words were jumbled in her head. Helga's warning look kept popping up in her mind's eye. What if she said the wrong thing? Arnold was a smart boy, if she said anything to show that she knew something he didn't, he would notice.

"I just wanted to say that... I'm sorry." It was the first thing that came to her mind, and honestly, it was the most important. Arnold gave her a mystified look. He leaned forward just a bit.

"Sorry? What're you sorry about? You didn't make us wreck and you didn't leave that voicemail." Elena shook her head, feeling tears well up in her eyes.

"No, but I could've stopped him. When Santiago and his friend jumped me in the alley I could've fought him-" Arnold's eyes got huge and he put his hand up to silence her.

"Wait wait wait. There was another one?" Elena thought back and realized that she never really gave great detail to her attack. She didn't want to rehash it and make everyone feel sorry for her.

"Uh yeah, there was another guy. I've never seen him before, but he was definitely helping Santiago." Arnold's eyes got huge, then got up and went towards his phone. He started to dial a number.

"What're you doing?" Elena asked, dumbfounded. Arnold held up a "hold on one minute" finger.

"Phoebe? Hey, it's Arnold. Yeah, everything's fine but Elena just told me that someone is most likely helping Santiago. Yeah," Arnold looked over at Elena. "Elena, what did he look like?"

She thought back to that night. It was dark and she didn't really have time to focus on what they looked like, but she did get a few characteristics.

"Um, he was shorter than Santiago. I'd place him at about five foot six maybe? He had dark hair, I don't know what color eyes." Elena suddenly remembered hearing something Santiago said after they got done beating her. She gasped.

"Oh! Oh! Um uh, Santiago called him... Sam! Yeah, he called him Sam." Arnold grinned from ear to ear.

"Did you get all that Phoebe? Great! Call us if you find out anything! Ok, thanks!" He hung up the phone and walked back over to Elena, who had stood up by this point.

"Do you think I gave enough information?" Elena asked, rubbing her arm. Before she knew it, Arnold had wrapped his arms around her. It was slightly uncomfortable, what with his neckbrace and all, but Elena still appreciated it all the same. She gently put her arms around him in return.

"I think you've helped us more than you think." Arnold said sweetly. Elena couldn't help but smile, showing her teeth and all. She wanted to bond with Arnold for so long, and even though she wished it could happen under better circumstances, she was still overjoyed.

"How about we go downstairs and make us some lunch?" Elena offered, nodding towards the door.

Arnold felt his stomach growl at the thought of food. He realized the last thing he ate was the pancakes that morning. "Yeah, good idea. We better hurry before Helga gets all of the pastrami." Arnold said jokingly as they both made their way to the door.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So my friend was able to uncover something in the background of the voicemail. It sound's like an active construction site. Unfortunately, there are five construction sites in Hillwood right now, which will make it harder to pinpoint where he is located." Phoebe typed away at her computer, everyone else gathered around her.

"Maybe we can see if there are any abandoned buildings or shacks near each construction site. I'm sure he and his friend have supplies, so they'll have to find a somewhat stable place for them to sleep and unload." Helga offered. Phoebe beamed at her best friend.

"That's a brilliant idea, Helga! I'll get to researching. We have to look through Google maps, unfortunately. If Santiago sees us near his hideout, he will most likely relocate."

"Or retaliate." Elena mumbled. Arnold glanced over at her and took a deep breath of air.

"Elena's right. What if he finds out that we're investigating him? We really need to be careful about what we're doing. If it gets back to him that we're getting closer to finding him..." Arnold trailed off, not really wanting to finish the sentence. He remembered clearly the warning that Santiago gave him. If a car wreck was his version of a "hello", what would be a punishment in his eyes?

"He won't find out, Arnaldo. We'll be super careful." Helga put a comforting hand on Arnold's shoulder. He winced at the contact, feeling pain shoot through his spine. Helga took her hand off of him like she had been burned.

"Arnold? Are you ok?" Stella approached Arnold, who was so stiff he looked like the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz.

"My pain medicine has worn off, is all. I'm alright." Stella looked at the clock and was upset to see that Arnold still had an hour and a half before he could take his next round of painkillers.

"How about you take a nice hot shower, sweetie. It'll relax your muscles and you'll feel at least a little better." Arnold sighed dreamily at the thought of a steaming hot shower. He didn't even realize how much he desired one until someone brought it up. With all that was going on, hygiene really wasn't on the top ten list of things to think about.

"Yeah, that actually sounds really nice. Could you help me, mom?" Arnold asked as he got up carefully from the couch. Stella nodded and walked with her son.

"We'll be back soon, kids." As Stella and Arnold went upstairs, everyone waited to hear the door close before conversations started.

"So spill the beans, sister. Erm, no pun intended," Helga mumbled. "What did you and Arnold talk about?" Helga folded her arms and stared at Elena expectantly.

"Helga, we didn't talk about anything worth sharing. I apologized for basically bringing this mess into his life. And Arnold being, well, Arnold... he told me I had nothing to feel sorry for. Then I remembered Sam from the encounter and that was it." Elena shrugged nonchalantly. To her, it meant the world to have that little moment with Arnold. She couldn't believe though how overprotective Helga was over him. She heard people talk at the school about how Helga picked on everyone, especially Arnold. Now all of a sudden, she's treating him like some Greek God?

"Oh please, you guys were up there long enough for me to make a pastrami sandwich, eat it, and for me to listen to Gerald chew like a cow." Gerald raised his hands up in defense.

"Hey! Watch it, Pataki! I'm not the one you're upset with!" Helga rolled her eyes and made a face at Gerald, who stuck his tongue out at her in return.

"Both of you, stop it!" Phoebe exclaimed, making everyone jump. Phoebe shot up and grabbed Helga by the arm.

"Can I talk to you in private, Helga?" Before she would let her respond, she began to drag her into the kitchen.

"Well, judging by the way you're yanking my arm out of socket, I'm going to go ahead and say sure!" Helga said with a thick attitude. Once they reached the kitchen, Helga snatched her arm away from Phoebe and crossed her arms.

"What's the big idea, Phoebe?"

"What is with you, Helga? You know Elena isn't trying to date Arnold, so why are you being so hostile towards her?" Helga 'humphed' and looked away from her best friends accusing eyes.

"Helga, I'm just trying to understand. Arnold has already told you how he feels about you. Why are you still acting this way?" Helga whipped her head towards Phoebe in a blur.

"Hmm, I don't know, Phoebe! Maybe because it's who I am?" Phoebe stomped her foot in anger.

"No, you're not Helga! You might be able to fool everyone else, but you can't fool me. I know that deep down you're a sweet and caring girl. I know Arnold sees it too, so why keep up the facade?" Helga lowered her shoulders slightly, but still had her arms crossed.

"I, I don't know what you're talking about.." Helga looked down toward the tile flooring. She hated people calling her out on her insecurities, especially Phoebe. No one else on this stupid planet knew Helga better than Phoebe. Not her parents, not Olga, not even herself at times.

"Helga, I just want to help." She put a caring grip on her best friends arm. Helga made the mistake of looking up and meeting Phoebe's eyes. They were filled with so much love and concern it nearly broke Helga.

She let her arms fall with a groan. "Ok, fine! You wanna know why I still don't like Elena?" Phoebe let her hand drop but moved a step closer to Helga, letting her know that she was ready to listen.

Helga sighed and looked past Phoebe at the oak cabinets. "Because... because she's everything I'm not. She's pretty and sweet and perfect and I'm just... Helga." She held her hands out as if displaying her whole person. Phoebe shook her head in disbelief.

"Helga...Arnold loves you," Helga felt her eyes water as she dared to look back at Phoebe. "He loves you just the way you are. You know why? Because he already knows who you are. You have a kind heart, you have an attitude that could put Beyonce to shame," Helga giggled at that. "And you're one of the most passionate people I've ever known. Sure, you can be a bit...bold. But that's part of your charm. Ever since you've gotten closer to Arnold, I've noticed how you don't pick on other kids as much. You're becoming a better person, Helga. But you're still...you. And I know for a fact that Arnold and I both love and accept you for everything you are."

Helga couldn't stop the tears flowing down her cheeks for anything in the world. She pulled Phoebe into a tight embrace. "Thanks, Phoebe," Helga sniffled. "I don't know what I did to deserve a best friend like you." Phoebe pulled away with a smirk on her face.

"What would you do without me?" Phoebe said in her sweet high pitched voice. Helga rolled her eyes and wiped her cheeks away with the back of her hand.

"Don't get all high and mighty on me now." Both girls laughed together.

"Just, promise me you'll at least try to get along with Elena. She loves Arnold just like you do-"

"If she does then she needs some psychiatric treatment." Helga joked.

"Oh, you know what I mean! Just... try and remember that you're both fighting for the same thing ok?" As if on cue, both girls looked back in the living room and saw that Arnold had returned downstairs. Arnold's hair was still wet from the shower, now wearing his blue plaid pj's. Helga sighed lovingly as she gazed at her beloved. She knew Phoebe had a point. She had to be a better person. Not just for Arnold, but for herself and those around her. Especially now, with Arnold being in danger, she needed to be the best version of her she could be.

"Alright. 'Nice Helga' is officially activated. Congrats Phoebe." Helga mumbled. The Japanese girl giggled behind her hand as she hooked her arm through Helga's. They walked back into the living room together, all eyes moved towards them. Once Arnold looked into Helga's eyes, he knew something had changed. He couldn't quite place what it was, but he made a mental note to ask her about it later.

"Feel any better, Arnold?" Phoebe asked as she sat next to Gerald on the couch. Arnold smiled in return, taking a seat in the recliner. Helga approached his side, which made Arnold relax even more.

"Yeah, I feel a lot better. Thanks for asking." Phoebe nodded happily. As everyone else began to continue conversation, Arnold reached up and tapped Helga on her arm. She bent down next to Arnold's face so he wouldn't have to crane his neck any while in his neck brace.

"Is everything ok, Helga? You seem...different." He whispered, not wanting to draw any attention to themselves. Helga shrugged and kissed his temple gently.

"Don't start worrying about me, Football head. It's my job to worry about you, ya know." Helga whispered.

Arnold replied while staring straight ahead towards the rest of the group. "I'll worry about you for the rest of my life, Helga. You might as well get used to it." He heard Helga let out a quick breath of air. He was still glad he could stun Helga with just mere words, and every word was the truth. Helga had been important to him from the very start, and if anything, that had only grown stronger since they became a couple. Arnold knew he shouldn't have, but he moved his neck slightly so he could look up at her. She had put her attention towards whatever Phoebe was talking about, and he simply just gazed at her. The way her pupils dilated whenever she focused on something. The way her blonde hair shined, even while they were back to being in pigtails.

He couldn't imagine how he could love her any more than he did at that moment. But he was sure he would be proven wrong tomorrow and every day after.

 _ **RING RING RING**_

Everyone froze as they looked over at the Boarding House phone. Arnold gulped as he stood up and walked over to it. He placed a shaky hand on the phone while he picked it up. Everyone gathered around him as he put it up to his ear.

"H,Hello?" Arnold cursed himself as he stuttered. I'm sure that's just what Santiago wanted to hear.

"Hello, Arnold. It's so nice to finally talk to you and not through a voicemail. Those are _so_ informal!"

Arnold looked over at Phoebe, who had begun to trace the phone call. She made a circle motion with her finger, gesturing for Arnold to keep him on the phone.

"Uh yeah. Did you um...did you cause-"

"Did I cause the car accident? Well, I don't want to brag but I am a pretty good marksman." Santiago laughed darkly, which made Arnold shiver on the spot.

"Y,You shot at us?" Everyone's eyes went wide once Arnold exclaimed that.

"Ah ah ah! I shot at the _tire_ , not at _you_. If you're going to call me out, at least do it correctly, hmm?" Arnold felt lightheaded and leaned on Helga for support. She immediately put her hands on Arnold's waist, making sure he didn't fall.

"What do you want from me?" Arnold asked wearily. He glanced at Phoebe and it looked like she almost had his location.

"Ah, now we're asking the good questions. Arnold, I want you to suffer as I suffered. Simple as that." Helga could make out what this creep was saying from being so close to Arnold and it made her blood boil.

"B, But I haven't done anything to you!" Arnold pleaded. Santiago let out another dark chuckle.

"You _ruined_ my life, you idiotic Football headed moron!" He yelled so loud his voice got distorted through the speaker. Arnold was about to reply when Santiago continued his rant.

"You have no idea what suffering is. But once I'm done with you, you'll wish you had snapped your neck in that car crash." Helga saw red, she was so furious. Before she could think rationally, she grabbed the phone from Arnold, one of her arms still around his waist.

"Listen here, Bucko! If you touch one hair on his head, I will personally put you through a meat grinder and feed you to the marine life at the beach!" Everyone gasped and looked at Helga as if she had cut the wrong wire on a bomb. She knew it probably wasn't the smartest decision, but she couldn't help it. She wasn't just going to stand by and listen to the love of her life being threatened.

"Well well well, if it isn't Helga Pataki. I look forward to meeting you, too. You're a little firecracker, aren't you?" Santiago mocked. Helga squeezed the phone until she was sure it would break in half.

"I'm not a firecracker, I'm an atomic bomb and you really don't want to mess with me or anyone else I love." Her voice shook with rage. Arnold knew she was defending him, and he still felt slightly frightened being so close to her. He had never seen her so infuriated in all of his life.

" _Love?_ That's such a big word for such a young girl."

"So is hate, yet here I am hating your very existence."

"Ouch, I think I need a band-aid after that!" Santiago said sarcastically.

"I got it!" Phoebe whispered. Everyone looked at Phoebe as she gave them a thumbs up. Helga chuckled wickedly.

"If I were you, I'd start running. Because when I find you, I'm going to string you up on a fence and have a lot of fun with you." Helga threatened.

"I look forward to officially meeting you, Helga. I'm sure it'll be an interaction you'll never forget." Santiago chuckled as he clicked off the phone. Helga slammed the phone in the receiver and looked to Phoebe.

"Where is the scum?" Helga growled. Phoebe turned the laptop towards the group.

"He's located by the construction site on 23rd street." She said with pride in her voice. Arnold and Gerald looked at each other, then looked at Helga.

"Well, why don't we send him a little 'hello' of our own?" Helga cracked her knuckles as she began to imagine all of the fun she was about to have.

 **Alright guys, there you have it! I'd say in the next 2 or 3 chapters, things will start to get crazy and heartbreaking /3 My question still remains though: would you guys prefer me updating one chapter every other day, or I could put out 3 chapters at once after about a week and a half hiatus? It's completely up to you! 3 Thank you again to everyone leaving such kind reviews! You guys are the bees knees :) Until next time, my fellow Football Heads! xx**


	20. Chapter 20: You've Said Your Peace

**I'm so sorry about the long wait guys! I've actually had a small writer's block, but I managed to trudge through it. I decided that for right now, I'll just be posting one chapter at a time. At least until my mood starts to improve. Once I'm more inspired, I'll put out more chapters more frequently! Thank you all for being patient with me. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Angst is everywhere but it's much needed!**

"If you tell me again that we can't do this, I'm going to kick you somewhere you really won't enjoy."

Arnold rolled his eyes at Helga's empty threat as the group of pre-teens snuck in an alley that was caty cornered across from the abandoned food market. They were almost certain that's where Santiago and Sam were hiding out.

"All I'm saying Helga is that this may not be the best idea." Elena moved closer to the wall, really making sure that she was out of sight.

"Arnold has a point. Knowing where they're hiding is the ace up our sleeve! Do you honestly think this will scare them off, anyway?" She held up the firecrackers that Helga passed out to everyone. Gerald hid behind a trashcan, trying his best to scope out the building. Helga fumbled around in her bag for matches.

"If this Santiago guy has any shred of intelligence, he'll go running for the hills once their little hideout looks like Fourth of July on steroids," Helga chuckled as she bundled some firecrackers together and tied them with a string. " _I'm_ a firecracker, huh? Get a load of these puppies..."

"So what exactly _are_ we doing? Just running up to the house and throwing these in their window?" Gerald whispered.

"We'll be more sneaky than that, Tall hair boy. We have to come in on the sides so they won't see us coming." Helga pointed in the directions of where she wanted everyone to go.

"Elena and Gerald, you guys take the east, me and Arnold will take the west. Let's go!"

Once they separated, they got into positions. Helga and Arnold tiptoed toward the side of the house, where no windows could expose them. Elena and Gerald did the same. They crouched below the front windows, all holding firecrackers and a single match each.

"Are you sure this is the right place? What if we're lighting up the wrong building?" Arnold asked nervously. He knew deep in his heart that this was the right place, he just didn't want to go through with this. If this didn't drive Santiago away, it would only make him angry.

"Arnaldo, this is the right place. Trust me." Helga placed her forehead against his gently. They held eye contact for about five seconds until Arnold nodded as much as he could. His neck brace was really getting in the way of things, and he was already excited about getting it taken off.

"I do trust you, Helga. It's _him_ I don't trust." He jerked a thumb towards the wall. He looked behind him to see that Gerald and Elena both had their firecrackers and matches ready. Gerald looked like he was excited about starting, while Elena looked like she was about to wet herself. Arnold shot her a reassuring glance but could see it made no impact. Elena was nearly shaking.

"On my mark!" Helga whispered aggressively. They all held the match and wick, ready for Helga's signal. She looked towards the windows, then to her group.

"Now!"

All in unison, they struck their matches against the brick wall, then lighting their firecracker wick. It started to burn quickly, and Helga made the first move. She heaved her lit firecracker through the window, where she heard a faint "What the-?" Everyone else followed suit fairly quickly. Once everyone had thrown their firecrackers inside, they bulleted across the street to safety. Right when they made it to the sidewalk, they heard loud popping and whistling coming from the building. They all looked and saw smoke and flashing lights coming out from the busted windows.

"Run!" Helga screamed, which triggered everyone to sprint down the sidewalk back to their side of town. Gerald occasionally looked behind them as they ran to make sure no one was chasing them. He was relieved to find that they weren't being tailed.

None of them stopped running until they reached the boarding house. Once they all ran inside and Arnold slammed the door shut, Phoebe shot up from the couch, looking at them with a concerned expression.

"Did you guys do it?" She asked with a higher squeak in her voice. Helga, still catching her breath, collapsed on the sofa next to her best friend. Arnold leaned against the wall, Gerald sat on the recliner with a 'thud' and Elena faced the wall, her sweating forehead pressing against the drywall.

"Oh, we did it alright. Santiago's little hideout looked like a smoking disco ball by the time we ran for it." Helga panted. Phoebe gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. She honestly wasn't expecting them to actually go through with it. She knew Helga would do it in a heartbeat, but she expected Arnold to talk her out of it. She supposed either Helga was more hardheaded than she thought, or Arnold didn't try hard enough to stop her.

"He didn't chase you did he?" Gerald shook his head and looked over at the worried Japanese girl.

"Nah, he was too preoccupied with fireworks blowing up in his face." That didn't make Phoebe feel any better. She chewed on her lip, looking at the opened curtains. She got up to close them when Elena started to pace the living room.

"You know that this won't end things. Helga, in fact, you just made things worse." Helga glared at Elena as she shot up from the couch. Her blue eyes looked down into Elena's deep brown eyes.

"If I remember correctly, _Elena_ , you tossed a Roman Candle in there just like the rest of us. You could've just sat here and stayed out of it like Phoebe, no offense."

Phoebe folded her hands in her lap. "It's ok, Helga. But-" Helga turned back toward Elena before Phoebe could continue.

"So if I were you I'd shut your trap before Ole Betsy and the Five Avengers make your teeth fall out like tic tacs." She held up a menacing fist towards Elena's jawbone. Arnold took giant steps to stand in between the two girls. He knew that Helga really wouldn't hit Elena, but if he didn't know her any better, she really sounded like she wanted to. Elena paled two shades and looked terrified, but also somewhat angry.

"Enough! Helga, can you please back up a bit?" Helga didn't tear her menacing eyes away from Elena. Arnold turned his whole body until he was completely facing Helga.

"Please, Helga?" He asked in a small voice. She finally looked down and met with Arnold's pleading face. She sighed, rolled her eyes, but still took a few steps back.

"Thank you." Arnold turned around and then faced Elena. "Look, we're all on edge with what we just did. It's done and over, so the only thing we can do is catch our breath and hope for the best."

Elena's fear drained from her face and was now twisted into a look of anger. "We just blew up his hideout, Arnold. You'll be lucky if Santiago doesn't come here with a flamethrower."

Arnold gulped at the imagery. He knew they shouldn't have done it, but why didn't he fight harder to stop Helga? He knew if he had kept on, Helga would've eventually listened to him. Perhaps there was a small part of him that wanted revenge too, but wanted to mask it under Helga's fury? Regardless, it was over and the tension in the room almost was too thick to be able to take a breath.

"The only reason I went was to make sure you were safe, Arnold." Elena then looked at Helga, then Gerald, then Phoebe. Lastly, Arnold. "But it's obvious that you have enough people here to protect you. Maybe coming here was a mistake..." She made her way to the front door until Arnold caught up with her and grabbed her hand.

"Elena, please don't go! We need you!" She looked back and didn't even try to hide the tears that were already falling from her thick eyelashes.

"No, Arnold. You don't. It's pretty clear that Helga and the rest of your friends have got everything covered." She gently took her hand out of Arnolds and left, closing the front door gently behind her. Arnold stood there, staring at the door. He felt someone walk up behind him.

"Pft, we don't need her. We can take care of this ourselves." Helga grumbled over his shoulder. For the first time in a really long time, Arnold felt true anger towards Helga. He turned around quickly, making Helga step back.

"Helga, how could you do that?" Arnold raised his voice. "There was no need in threatening her like that! She was just scared like the rest of us!"

Helga's unibrow dipped down into a scowl, putting her hands on her hips. "Listen, Football head! There was no need in her trying to bring her negative attitude into this situation! I wasn't going to listen to her talk about Santiago going World War three on us! I wasn't going to sit here and let him threaten you, _us_ , like that and not do something!" Phoebe and Gerald wanted to intervene, but if there's one thing they learned over the years, it's to not get in the middle of a classic Arnold and Helga fight.

"Just because she didn't share the same viewpoint as you, it didn't justify for you to threaten her!"

"She's nothing but a big baby!"

"Yeah, well you're nothing but a big bully!"

Helga gasped and felt her arms fall to her sides. Arnold felt the words fall out of his mouth like gumballs before he could stop them.

He reached a hand out to Helga. "I, I'm so sorry-" She yanked her shoulder away suddenly.

"No, you know what? You're right. I am a bully and that's all I'll ever be. You've made that perfectly clear." She felt her chest get tight but she refused to give him the satisfaction of watching her cry. Phoebe knew she needed to step in and try to diffuse the situation.

"Guys, I think we're all on edge and we need to cool down before more things are said that no one means." Arnold and Helga simply stared at each other, one looking heartbroken and the other looking shut down.

"I think it's best if I go home," Helga mumbled. She hit Arnold's shoulder as she walked past him.

"Helga, please! You know I didn't mean-" Helga swiftly turned around and began to stomp towards Arnold.

"Yes, you did! You meant every word. I knew it!" She looked at Phoebe with flames in her eyes. "You asked me why I still acted this way! I told you it was because that this is who I am now. I wasn't lying." She looked back towards Arnold, who had tears pooling in his own eyes.

"If anything you just confirmed that that's all I'll ever be. My love for you isn't even enough to change me now." Helga said the last part in such a small voice, hardly anyone heard her but Arnold. To him, the words rang loud in his ears like a bell. He would trade anything in the world to rewind time and take back his words.

"Helga." He tried again to reach up and stroke her face, but she did something that completely shattered what was left of Arnold's heart and composure.

She flinched.

Tears raced down his face, hitting his white neck brace. "Helga, please." He didn't even know what he was begging her for now. For her to stop crying, for her to sit down and let them talk about it, to just stay? She sniffled and wiped furiously at her now wet cheeks. She didn't even realize that her own tears had escaped.

"Save it, Football Head. You've said your peace." She turned and left, slamming the door.

Arnold still had his hand stretched out as if Helga were still there in front of him.

"Well. What could get worse than this?" Gerald asked from around the corner. Phoebe put a reassuring hand on Arnold's back. He kept looking at the front door.

"Arnold, I'll talk to her. She's angry, but everything will be ok. I promise." Arnold nodded, feeling completely numb. He still couldn't believe that he said what he said. He was just so angry with Helga, but he didn't mean to hurt her like that.

"I think it's best if we just all go home and get some rest. Tomorrow's a new day, and everyone will be calmer." Gerald said as he came around the corner and stood beside Arnold.

"Both of you need to call your parents to pick you up. I let two people leave tonight by themselves, I'm not letting anyone else do the same." Arnold said to the front door. It was like he was cemented in one spot.

"Right away. Come on, Gerald." Phoebe grabbed his hand and led him away. Arnold still stood there, frozen. He knew he really messed up with Helga, but there was nothing he could do tonight. He had to get some sleep and call her in the morning.

 _If she'll even speak to me._

Arnold sighed and finally dragged his feet toward the stairs. Phoebe and Gerald returned to the living room.

"I need to go to bed. Will you guys..?" Arnold left the sentence hanging, not really having the energy to finish.

"We'll wait here until our parents arrive, Arnold. Go upstairs and get some sleep." Phoebe urged. He took a look at Gerald who simply nodded in agreement.

"Ok. Goodnight guys." Arnold said in a depressed monotone voice as he trekked his way to his room. As he closed his door, changed in his pajamas, and climbed into bed, he couldn't get the image of Helga's shocked face out of his mind. He laid on his back, staring up at the stars through his glass ceiling. He thought back to how happy they were on their dinner date, and how big she smiled when he finally told her he loved her. His heart broke more when he realized that he might never get the chance to give her that smile again. He had seen Helga angry and even sad before, but he had never seen her look so hurt. And by his own words, none the less. He felt lower than dirt and he wanted nothing more than to run to her house and make things right. Practically, he knew it wasn't a smart thing to do.

"First thing in the morning, I'm fixing this," Arnold promised to the walls. He turned over and saw that Helga's blankets, pillows and the plaid shirt she slept in were on his pullout couch, placed there by his mom right before they left for school. Before the crash. He got up from his bed and walked over to the couch, picking up the shirt. He knew it seemed creepy, but he couldn't resist bringing the shirt up to his face and inhaling deeply. He sighed as Helga's smell infiltrated his nose. She smelt of vanilla and the sweet smell that was simply _Helga_. Before he had a second thought, he took off his pajama shirt and put on the good smelling plaid shirt. He got back in bed, bringing his sleeve up to his face. He smiled as he smelt vanilla with every breath he took.

He smiled because he knew he would make things right. He had to.

 **Again, I'm so sorry that this was such a short chapter. I'm having such a hard time writing right now, which makes it even harder to keep everyone in character. I'm just in a tough time of my life right now, so if I don't update for a week or two, please don't give up on this story. This story is my baby and I swear I will keep updating it. I just have to get through this sludge and I'll be back to myself in no time. Until next time my fellow Football Heads! xx**


	21. Chapter 21: Sundaes And Sunday News

**I powered through my writer's block by writing a short one shot of Arnold and Helga (not related to this story). Would anyone be interested in reading it? I had fun writing it, as it is super fluffy and it brought me out of my awful writer's block! Anywho, here is Chapter 21! The next few chapters after this one are filled with emotions and turmoil, so be prepared! You'll have an idea at the end of this chapter! I hope you all enjoy it!**

Arnold woke up from the sunlight piercing its way through his room. He sat up in bed and looked at his sleep clothes, remembering last night's situation. He frowned as he realized that the shirt no longer smelt of Helga and vanilla, the scent masked with his own. He got up and changed quickly, wanting to get to Helga as soon as possible. He felt even worse now that it was morning than he did last night. A new day that was still haunted by previous days mistakes. He checked the clock and saw that it was ten thirty-two. It was still somewhat early, and he hoped he could catch Helga at her house.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Helga woke up with a pounding headache, her eyes still slightly swollen from crying last night. She turned over and looked at the clock. Helga groaned when she saw that it was nine forty-six.

 _Waking up this early on a Sunday should be illegal._

Helga rolled out of bed, her eyes now itchy and her hair knotted from tossing and turning all night. She got perhaps four hours of sleep if she was lucky. She knew she would never be able to get back to sleep now, though. She walked over to the bathroom mirror and took a good look at herself. Her face still had red splotches on it, her eyes were bloodshot and she felt like her lungs were breathing in water. Her throat was sore from screaming and she even had dark circles underneath her eyes from lack of sleep. She straight up looked like the Grim Reaper's daughter.

"Might as well start the day." She mumbled to her reflection. She went to her room and got dressed into her typical outfit until she reached over for her locket by habit. It wasn't on her bedside table, then she realized it was on the floor all the way across her room. She approached it like it was a poisonous snake, afraid it would strike at her. She delicately picked it up and looked at the picture staring back at her. The locket itself was cracked and she saw it as a cruel irony. She lifted it as if she was about to put it on, then thought better on it. She wished she was still angry at Arnold for what he said. She was used to feeling anger, shoot, she was _comfortable_ in it. Anger was a welcomed emotion inside her own mind, but that wasn't what filled her heart this time. It was hurt. Pure and raw hurt. The kind of hurt that made her stomach do flips, causing her to nearly dry heave. She felt another scream try to claw it's way up her scorched throat, but she shoved it back down. She walked back over to her bedside calmly and placed the locket right where it should be.

She knew it didn't belong on her neck right now.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Man, why don't you just go over and talk to her?" Gerald asked over the kitchen table. Arnold played with his breakfast cereal that floated in the milk. He almost went over but was too nervous to even think about stepping up to the Pataki front door. What if Helga opened the door and slammed it in his face? He wasn't sure if he could handle seeing her so upset again.

"What if she hates me now, Gerald?" Arnold let go of the spoon, letting it sink to the bottom of the bowl. He shoved it away, his appetite gone.

"Arnold, you didn't exactly _lie_ when you called her a bully. She was laying into Elena pretty hard." Gerald leaned back in his chair, his plate that once held eggs and toast completely clean. Phil walked in and took a seat right beside Arnold.

"Girl trouble eating you up, Shortman?" He patted his grandson on the back gently, careful not to disturb his neck. Gerald got up and took his plate and Arnold's bowl to the sink.

"Yeah, grandpa. I really hurt Helga's feelings yesterday after we," Arnold looked at Gerald, who returned a look that read ' _Don't say anything!_ '. Arnold made a decision to keep their 'firework incident' to themselves. He didn't want to worry everyone further, so as far as they knew, Santiago hadn't done anything yet. Him causing the accident was still speculation amongst the adults, as they didn't know about the conversation Arnold and Santiago had.

Arnold changed course quickly. "After we, uh, went to Slausens for ice cream. We came back home and got in a huge fight." Phil shook his head and 'hmmed' in thought.

"Have you tried apologizing?" Arnold could hear Gerald snicker behind him, which was basically him saying ' _I told you so!_ '

"I was planning on going over to her house today, but I.. chickened out, I guess." Arnold mumbled to the floor. He knew that Helga had acted rudely towards Elena, and yes, she deserved to be scolded for her behavior. Arnold knew though that he should've tried to calm her down and talk to her on a calm and reasonable level, instead of screaming back at her.

"Well, Arnold, some thing's in life are really difficult to do, but it must be done." Phil gave Arnold a reassuring grin. Gerald stood over to Arnold's side, leaning against the fridge.

"Yeah, I understand. I just have to go over there and apologize to her. I just hope she'll listen to me and forgive me." His voice was so depressed and sullen, Phil couldn't help but feel for him. He remembered the plenty of arguments he and Gertie shared when they were children. Some of them resolved themselves within a few days, and some of them lasted a month! He truly knew how hard this was for Arnold, but he also knew that the connection they had wouldn't be ruined over one small screaming match.

"If I could give you one piece of advice, it would be to always do the thing that makes you scared. The best things usually happen as a result." Arnold took a side glance at his grandpa and felt much better. Sometimes he forgot how lucky he was to have such a wise grandpa. Nuts at times, but truly wise.

"Oh! And also-"

Gerald and Arnold finished in unison. "Never eat raspberries."

Phil felt his stomach rumble in discomfort as if on cue. "I swear if Pookie doesn't stop slipping those berries in my dessert..." He grumbled as he made a beeline for the bathroom.

Gerald took Phil's seat and looked at Arnold pointedly. "So. What's the plan?"

Arnold looked from the table to his best friend. "I think it's time for me to visit Helga." Gerald smiled at him as they both made their way towards the front door.

"You're a bold kid, Arnold. A bold kid."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Double chocolate ice cream sundae, extra sprinkles, two cherries, no funny business!" Helga shook her fist at the adolescent teenager taking her and Phoebe's order. He wrote quickly on his notepad. He then looked to Phoebe waiting for her order.

"I'll just have a banana milkshake, please." The teenager smiled in gratitude for Phoebe not being as forceful as Helga was.

"Right away, ladies." His voice broke, thanks to puberty, and quickly made his way behind the counter.

"Thanks for taking me to Slausens, Pheebz." Her best friend nodded in response.

"Absolutely, Helga. I know you need some cheering up." Helga nodded, leaning back in her booth. Phoebe twiddled her thumbs until she couldn't bite her tongue any longer.

"Helga, are you willing to speak to Arnold right now?" Helga let out a brisk chuckle.

"What for? So he can call me more names?"

Phoebe sighed impatiently and leaned towards Helga, both arms on the table. "Helga, you have to admit, you _were_ being a bit mean to Elena." Helga shot up towards Phoebe, her eyes wide.

"Who's side are you on here, Phoebe?"

"I'm not on any side Helga! Yes, Arnold shouldn't have blown up like he did, but you shouldn't have been so ugly towards Elena." Helga took her seat again, knowing that Phoebe was right.

 _Boy, I hate it when she's right. Which is all the time._

"Helga, everyone was on edge with what happened yesterday. Could you really blame Elena for being so terrified? Plus, she knows Santiago better than any one of us. If anyone knows what he is capable of, it's her." Helga folded her arms and stared out the window.

 _Criminey, why does she have to make valid points too?_

"She still didn't have to be such a pessimist," Helga spoke barely above a whisper. Phoebe couldn't help but let out a harsh laugh.

"Helga, weren't you the one who said that our substitute teacher was an evil spy from Europe just became she gave you a B- on your essay?"

"Hey! Ms. Felter was hiding something, I just know it!" Helga wagged her finger in denial. She couldn't quite place it, but she didn't like her from the beginning for _some_ reason.

"My point is why do you have such a problem was pessimistic views all of a sudden?" Before Helga could respond, the guy placed their desserts in front of them.

"You guys enjoy!" He called out as he walked away. Helga dug into her ice cream, chocolate syrup smearing on her face.

"Helga?" Phoebe pushed as she dug a spoon in her milkshake. Helga groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Because, Phoebe, I can't afford to see the negative side right now. Not with.." Helga stopped talking, as she thought about everything that had happened in the past few days. She won over Arnold, she got the date she'd only dreamt of, and now his life and everyone else's lives were hanging in the balance.

Phoebe reached over and grabbed Helga's hand. "We're all scared, Helga. It's ok to admit that. Right now though, Arnold needs you."

Helga took her hand back and took another bite out of her sundae. "He doesn't need me."

Right when Phoebe was about to lose her cool, she heard the ding of the bell as someone entered Slausens. She looked up and saw a familiar tall afro along with blonde hair.

"Then why is he standing right behind you?" Helga looked up from her ice cream to Phoebe, who had a smug look on her face. She whipped her head around and saw Gerald and Arnold standing behind her booth. Arnold looked at her with fear and sadness, which made Helga's stomach curdle. She loathed seeing him look so uncomfortable. She couldn't deny though, that she still felt a sting looking at the face that caused her so much grief.

"So what, you're stalking me now, Football head?" She spat out hatefully. Both boys walked around and faced the table.

"I went to your house to talk to you, your mom said you had left with Phoebe. She didn't know where you guys went, so I assumed you guys either went to the arcade or here." Arnold placed a hand on the table, turning towards Helga.

"Good for you, you want a cookie?" Helga sat back and folded her arms. She hated that he looked so adorable, even in that stupid neck brace.

"No, I want to talk, Helga."

Phoebe stood up from her empty glass and left a ten dollar bill on the table. "I think that's my cue to leave. This will cover both of our desserts." She slid the bill across the counter.

"No, that's your cue to park it and not leave me," Helga said desperately. Phoebe shook her head in defiance.

"Sorry, Helga. I'm doing this because I care about you. Shall we?" She looked toward Gerald, who had an arm stuck out as an invitation for her to take it.

"Oh, we shall. See ya, Arnold!" Both blondes watched as their best friends left the shop. Arnold took Phoebe's seat and stared at Helga expectantly.

"If you think that I'm starting this heart to heart moment, Arnaldo, then you've got another thing coming." Helga remained in her position of folded arms and scowled unibrow.

"Helga, please just listen to me. Just hear me out, and if when I'm done you never want to talk to me again, I'll understand. I'll let you leave here and I won't stop you."

Helga relaxed her glare, only slightly. "You have five minutes, and not a second more." Arnold thought she was joking, but he noticed her glance towards the clock. He knew instantly he was on a time limit.

"Helga, you have to admit that you were being harsh towards Elena."

She was about to speak up, but Arnold beat her to it. " _BUT_ that doesn't justify me yelling at you like I did. I should've tried to calm you down and talk to you maturely. We were both in the wrong. So, I'm sorry for hurting your feelings. Two wrongs don't make a right, and if I could take it back I would." He leaned forward and tried to hold eye contact with Helga, but she was beginning to shoot her eyes anywhere but his.

"You _have_ to know that I would never want to hurt you." He whispered. Helga finally looked into Arnold's eyes and couldn't fight it anymore. She let her arms fall, as she began to play with her fingers.

"I guess I _maybe_ could've been a bit nicer to Elena. After all, what we did was pretty crazy." Helga giggled humorlessly. Arnold felt his spirits lift a bit, seeing Helga loosen up.

"Exactly! She was just scared like I'm sure the rest of us were." By this point, Helga and Arnold started to lean toward each other over the table.

"So..." Helga played with her hangnail on the table, averting eye contact once again. "...you _don't_ hate me, then?" She was embarrassed that her voice sounded so weak and timid. She was terrified though. She really thought that she had lost Arnold for good last night. She knew deep in her heart that she was in the wrong and Arnold didn't really lie when he called her a big bully. Her whole life though, one of the main reasons she loved Arnold was because he was one of the few people who saw her as something more than a bully. And for him to turn around and tell her that that's all she was, it really hit her hard.

Arnold's eyes grew wide, grasping both of her hands tightly. "Helga, I could never hate you." She looked up and fought back the tears that were fighting their way to her tear ducts.

 _Criminey, can't I talk to Arnold without crying like a baby?_

"Well, I mean you _could_...I know I make it easy for people to hate me..." Helga rubbed Arnold's fingers with her own gently. His skin was so soft, his hands so warm. She couldn't imagine not being able to hold his hands ever again or feel his hugs anymore. A life without Arnold really wasn't a life worth living.

"True, you can be difficult at times. Not going to lie, you sometimes make me want to rip my own hair out." Helga began to frown.

"But I'd rather be in love with you and deal with your emotional outbursts than be with anyone else."

Helga gave him a watery smile as she scooted her sundae away, reached over the counter, and gave Arnold a loving kiss. Even though it was a short kiss, it held so many emotions in it that both of them were dizzy by the end of it.

"And I'd rather be in love with you and deal with your goody two shoe ways." Helga snickered. Arnold shot her a look as he stood up from the table.

"Ha ha, very funny. Want to go ahead and go? I'll walk you home." He held out his hand, which Helga happily took.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Helga and Arnold approached her front door, hand in hand when the door flew open before she could touch the doorknob. Miriam was standing in the doorway, her face wet with tears, her neck broke out into hives. It was clear she had been bawling for quite some time.

"Miriam? What's going on?" She let go of Arnold's hand and ran up the stairs. Arnold took a couple of steps up, standing behind Helga.

"Helga, I've got some bad news. Could you come inside and sit down?" Miriam's nose was clogged up, giving her a nasal voice.

"Just spit it out, Mom. What's happened?" She felt Arnold put a hand on her back. She had never seen Miriam like this, even when her and Bob got into a fight.

Miriam gripped the door panel in anguish, new tears making rivers down her red cheeks. "Helga, it's your grandmother, Geraldine."

Just like that, Helga's hearing became muffled. Black spots clouded her vision. The world stopped spinning, she could no longer feel Arnold's touch. She couldn't feel the concrete below her feet, nor her mother's arms wrap around her. She felt numb from the inside out. She heard one sentence ring through the static noise in her eardrums and if a sentence could be a knife, this was it. And it was stabbing her repeatedly. She felt all of the blood drain from her face. The skin on skin contact felt foreign, and so did this feeling. All because of one sentence.

"She died this morning. I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

 **I know this ended on a sad note, but I cannot wait to share the backstory of Helga and her grandmother's close relationship! It's clear from Helga's reaction that Geraldine meant a lot to her. They never mentioned her grandmother in the show, but I know she got her middle name from her grandmother. It'll be a precious chapter when I reveal the backstory (I'm thinking Chapter 23). I hope you're all enjoying it so far! Until next time my fellow Football Heads! xx**


	22. Chapter 22: Stay With Me, Helga

**I LIVE! XD I'm so sorry about the long hiatus, guys. I've had so many things happen in my life, it's insane. But while I was working through my issues, I did outlines of the next five chapters! So I promise the ball is rolling again, and I hope no one is upset with me :c This is an angsty chapter, but there's some love in there as well! I hope you all enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or the poem that is mentioned.**

Helga woke up with a pounding headache. Again.

Considering the fact that she had been up all night either crying or screaming, she didn't get much sleep. Her mind flashed to when Miriam broke the news to her, and when Arnold caught her when her legs gave out. She remembered accusing Miriam of lying, even though she knew her mom was telling the truth. She remembered collapsing to the floor in hysterics, Arnold right beside her, rubbing her back comfortingly.

She felt her eyes water again and she desperately needed to know how many tears the human body could make because whatever that number was, she exceeded it by two the morning.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed, contemplating never letting her feet touch the ground again. She especially didn't want to face everyone at school. She didn't want to see everyone with sympathetic eyes gloss over her. She never could handle people feeling sorry for her, which was a part of why she always had a tough front. After so many years keeping her attitude in check, she was sure many people at the school wondered if she even had real feelings.

She did though. Her feelings were real and they were _real_ raw.

She sighed as she forcefully stood up and basically crawled over to the closet. She put on her pink dress, even though she felt it to be too cheerful a color considering her loss. She thought briefly on changing, but she didn't want more eyes on her with an abrupt outfit change. She just wanted to blend in and maybe, just maybe, no one would look her way.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As soon as she walked into the school, she felt everyone's eyes pierce her like individual knives.

She nearly turned around and ran back home, but right when her hand itched for the door handle, her eyes locked with Arnolds, who was standing at her locker. Suddenly, no one else existed. Not Rhonda, with her hand over her heart, whispering to Nadine. Not Stinky and Sid who were sneaking glances at her with sad looks. Helga just saw Arnold and she realized, not unlike a freight train hitting her, that at that moment, she needed nothing more than Arnold's arms around her. To comfort her and make her feel less alone. She didn't care about what people would say. They were already whispering about how pathetic she looked, might as well give them more to gossip about.

Helga lightly jogged over to Arnold, who realized quickly what she was after. He set his bookbag on the ground before he opened his arms invitingly. Helga plowed into him, enveloping her arms around his neck brace as gently as she could, who returned with his own warm embrace. The whispers grew louder, but neither student cared. Helga focused on Arnold's warmth and how she could faintly smell the shampoo he used that morning. She closed her eyes and put her face in his shoulder the best she could, desperate to try and disappear altogether. Arnold held her tighter, slowly rubbing her back in small circles. His neck was sending off electric-like shots of pain but ignored it. He knew how much Helga needed this, needed _him_ , because he knew she considered the gossip that would spread because of it.

Helga finally separated from him and kept her hands on his shoulders. He kept his hands on her waist firmly. "I can't do this." She whispered. Arnold leaned in closer to make sure that he had her undivided attention.

"Yes you can, Helga. I'm right here."

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and nodded fiercely. She knew she could do anything with Arnold by her side, she had always known that. This was the ultimate test of that because Helga couldn't have been more heartbroken and lost.

"I don't know what I'd do without you right now. I, I can hardly breathe..." Helga managed to keep under a whisper. She felt her heart race and her lungs constrict. She felt her eyes fill with tears again and started to panic. She didn't want to cry at school! She wasn't ready to show _that_ much vulnerability to her fellow peers yet. Arnold cupped her clammy face with warm hands. She looked up at him and all she saw was green. Sparkling, inviting, perfect emerald. As if it was done by magic, she could breathe again. Her chest didn't feel so heavy. Her world wasn't crumbling around her. Cracked, perhaps, but not crumbling. She wasn't flying off into the abyss because Arnold was her anchor. He held her in place and she was sure science was wrong because gravity wasn't keeping her on the ground anymore, but rather his look.

"You're alright. Stay with me, Helga." Arnold moved his hands down to her arms, gripping her hard enough to let her know he was still there. Her eyes were glazed and he honestly wasn't sure if Helga even knew where she was anymore. A small crowd had begun to form around them, but no one made a sound. No one had seen Helga in such a state of despair before. It was similar to kids watching a lion at a zoo. Terrified, but still curious by the wonder before them.

"I don't want to be anywhere else but here with you, my love," Helga said loud enough for everyone else to hear. Gasps echoed off the lockers, whispers became more and more, like dominos falling. Arnold gave her a small smile, letting her know that he appreciated the comment. It felt good to Arnold to know that someone needed him so much. For that person to be Helga, was just icing on the cake. He hated that she was in so much emotional distress, but he felt relieved that he was able to calm her with just a look.

"Good." Arnold uttered. He grabbed her hand and led her to the classroom. She still looked like she was confused, terrified and lost all at the same time, but he knew she would get her bearings once she sat down and relaxed a minute.

Once Arnold sat Helga in her seat and he returned to his own, he looked over and saw Gerald giving him a concerned look.

"No offense Arnold, but Helga looks like she belongs in a psychiatric ward. Should she really be here today?"

Arnold looked over at Helga, who began to read her poetry book. She looked somewhat calmer, but he could see her shoulders hunched over and her neck tight.

"Honestly, probably not. But she insisted on coming today. Me and her are taking off tomorrow though for grieving. Then Thursday is the funeral." Arnold uttered the last statement, not wanting Helga to hear. He didn't want to remind her of what's inevitably going to come. Before Gerald could reply, the rest of the class filed in while the late bell rang. Some kids like Rhonda and Eugene took sympathetic glances over to Helga. Some kids like Sid and Stinky looked at Arnold with confusion. Mr. Simmons walked in and started his ritual "Good morning class!", but stopped mid caw once he saw Helga.

"Oh, Helga! I honestly didn't expect you to be here. You can do your poetry analysis another time if you'd pref-" Helga looked up from her poetry book and gave him a look of nonchalant and ice.

"My grandma will still be gone if I stay here or if I go home."

Murmurs spread like wildfire through the classroom. Arnold wanted to be surprised by Helga's morbid reply, but he really wasn't. Whenever Helga was upset about something, she buried it until it comes bubbling to the surface in an explosion. He wished that she had a healthier way of managing her sadness and distemper, but now wasn't the time to schedule a lecture on feelings. He couldn't imagine losing his grandpa or grandma, and he really couldn't fathom how he would handle it. One thing he knew for sure though was that Helga would be super glued to his side to comfort him and be there, so that's exactly what he planned on doing for her.

Mr. Simmons tugged on his shirt collar in discomfort whilst clearing his throat. "Oh erm, alright. Would you like to go ahead and start?"

Helga shrugged. She grabbed her paper and books and walked to the front of the classroom. She looked out to her audience and gritted her teeth by the sea of sympathy she saw. She loathed people seeing her as 'poor old Helga'. Everyone loses their grandparents at some point in their life, and it's even more common to lose them in your childhood. It wasn't an uncommon thing! So why was everyone looking at her like she had three heads?

 _They're not used to seeing you so vulnerable._

Helga inwardly cursed at her intrusive thought, even though she knew it to be true. She was trying to act like her grandmother's death didn't bother her, but as soon as she saw Arnold in the hallway, she felt her walls crumble to ash and dust. She wanted, no, _needed_ , to be by his side. It was the strangest thing she had ever felt. She didn't run to him out of the need for a romantic gesture like some sad love film. She ran to him because she felt as if she'd die if she didn't. It was also one of the scariest things she had ever experienced. As she continued to look out to her fellow peers, she could also see that everyone either witnessed firsthand or heard through the grapevine what she had done this morning. Her feelings for Arnold were basically out in the open.

And at that moment she didn't care in the least.

She looked to Arnold, who's forest green eyes held fear and worry. He looked as if he was ready to run up front and embrace her yet again.

"The poem I chose is called 'Akhmatova Said'." Helga looked down at her notes and suddenly felt foolish for writing them. She thought back to when she 'gave her presentation' to Arnold while they were still stuck in the car. What she said came from her heart, and Arnold loved it. She looked up, her notes in her hand. She looked back to Arnold and held eye contact.

She tore the notes she had written into tiny pieces, letting the scattered pieces fall to the podium.

Whispers began again. Arnold even looked confused and even more nervous. He didn't know why Helga tore her notes up, but he was ready at a moments notice to leap up and grab her if she started to become hysterical.

Helga began to smile. "It's actually kind of stupid to take notes on a poem. The assignment was to choose a poem that speaks to you. You shouldn't have to write down why something means something to you to remember it. It should come naturally." She could feel Arnold's eyes on her, and she smiled wider.

"This lady basically writes a love poem to the guy she's in love with. Simple and basic. Anyone with an IQ over five could see that. I guess that leaves you out, Pink Boy." Helga looked over at Harold who grumbled and folded his arms, earning a couple of giggles in the room.

"I'm not one for beating around the bush so here it is straight: yes, my grandmother died. Yes, I'm completely and utterly devastated...and heartbroken." She felt her voice grow softer. No one else dared to mutter a word.

"And I also know, that most of you may have witnessed me hugging a certain Football headed boy this morning." Helga looked to Phoebe, who was smiling like a proud mother. Helga got the courage to continue just from that one smile.

She looked down and began to read a passage from the poem. " _I could name all of the parts of your face that I love in one long paragraph, name conjunctions together that will not break, write sentences without verbs and not...be afraid_." She took a deep breath and rather than keep her eyes to the floor, she looked up and made sure to look into anyone and everyones eyes as she continued.

"I'm done being afraid. I am still Helga G. Pataki and yes, I have feelings. Yes, I have emotions like the rest-well, most of you." She pointedly shot a glance to Rhonda. The dark haired girl rolled her eyes but didn't say anything.

"This poem is about bravery. And expression. And love." Helga then finally looked to Arnold, not a care in the world that everyone clearly saw to whom she was looking at. Arnold's eyes had grown wide, but his smile was bright and clear. He couldn't believe how brave Helga was being!

Who was he kidding? Yes, he could. 'Helga' and 'brave' went together like peanut butter and jelly. He felt so proud of Helga, seeing how strong she was being. He knew this was no cakewalk for her, but she was still doing it. She needed this release.

"I didn't need notes to talk about this poem. Not when I can easily look at one pair of green eyes and be able to speak volumes about it." Helga finally broke her connection with her true love and looked back to the rest of the class. There wasn't a jaw out there that wasn't hanging. Even Mr. Simmons mouth was slightly ajar.

Helga put on her regular glare. "And if any of you say anything to me or to Arnold, I will throw you in a trashcan and roll you down the road and out of town. Got it?" She shook her fist and leaned over the podium. Everyone but Arnold, Gerald and Phoebe looked stunned and terrified. Some kids nodded, some kids looked like they wanted to run out.

Mr. Simmons slowly made his way to the podium. "Well, thank you, H, Helga for an...eye opening presentation. Minus the threat of course."

Helga grabbed her things and strolled over to her seat. "Poetry isn't poetry without a little drama and truth, Mr. Simmons."

Arnold could feel eyes burning at the back of his oblong head. He didn't care though. He felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. He nor Helga had to hide their affection anymore. Of course, there would always be a few people who would say uncalled for comments. He knew though that they could handle it.

 _Or at least Ole Betsy and the Five Avengers could._ Arnold suppressed a chuckle at the thought.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arnold and Helga were walking to her place in comfortable silence. The rest of their school day went by better than they both imagined. Harold sang them the "K-I-S-S-I-N-G" song but Helga kept true to her threat. She placed him squarely in the trashcan and kicked him down the hall.

It wasn't across town, but the hallway was close enough.

Arnold walked Helga up her stoop, to her front door. She turned to look at him, both of her hands placed in his.

"Sorry I embarrassed you in class today." She muttered. Arnold smiled and shook his head.

"You didn't embarrass me, Helga. I'm proud by how brave you were today. The hardest part was letting your walls down. The rest is a piece of cake." Arnold leaned forward and gave her a small kiss on the cheek. She couldn't help but let out a small high pitched sigh.

"Actually, I think the hardest part has yet to come." She came back to reality as she looked back to her front door. On the other side, Miriam and Bob were both sitting at the kitchen table, surrounded by papers, funeral flower options, and Kleenex. Helga gulped but brought her attention back to Arnold.

"And I will be here every step of the way, Helga." She nodded stiffly, gazing at Arnold with so much love it nearly overwhelmed them both.

"You might not say that once you witness how chaotic things will get. Especially Olga." Helga outwardly shivered at the thought of Olga, moaning and crying all the time. She had flashbacks to when she made her sister believe that she got an A- on her studies. She stayed in her room and cried for so long, Helga had begun to think that she had really done Olga in. She couldn't imagine how she would act now that something truly tragic had happened.

Arnold's face fell at the reminder that not only will Helga's family be a wreck, but so will Helga. He wasn't sure if he was prepared to see her so inconsolable, but he knew that she needed him.

It was his turn to be brave.

"You can't scare me off, Helga. I'm not going anywhere." Arnold expected her to smile and kiss him, but instead of a loving and happy look, she began to focus on Arnold's face. Not just his eyes, but her eyes glazed over every square inch of him. Everything from his blue cap, to his bulbous nose, right down to his black shoes.

"What is it?" Arnold asked meekly. Even though he enjoyed Helga's attention, this was making him slightly self-conscious.

She shook her head in wonder and replied. "I just don't know what I did to deserve you, is all." Arnold smiled and kissed the palm of her hand gently. It earned him a genuine smile from the girl that stood before him.

"Just being you, Helga."

After a brief moment of silence, both children made their way inside the house. They made their way into the kitchen, hand in hand, seeing Miriam and Big Bob sitting at the table. Miriam had a smoothie in one hand, and a paper in the other. Bob was on the phone and the vein protruding from his forehead told them that it wasn't a pleasant conversation.

"Listen here, you _cretin_! My mother in law will have a dark mahogany coffin with a gloss finish or my name's not Big Bob Pataki!" He hung up the phone and slammed it on the table. Miriam jolted in surprise. Her nerves were obviously on edge.

"Do you think daisies would be appropriate or petunias? Mom loved petunias." Miriam let her voice stretch out in its regular monotone while she took a sip of her smoothie. Bob threw his hands up in the air and groaned.

"What does it matter, Miriam? The old broad is dead, I don't think she'll care what flowers will be on top of her grave!" Helga flinched at the heartless comment. Miriam laid the paper down and began to write on another piece of paper. She downed her drink and got up.

"I need another smoothie." She mumbled. Bob finally looked to the entrance and noticed his daughter and the orphan boy.

"About time you got home little lady! We have a funeral to plan." Helga took a deep breath and felt Arnold squeeze her hand. She really didn't know how she would be able to handle this without Arnold.

"Got it, Bob." She and Arnold turned to go upstairs when Miriam caught them.

"Oh, Helga! You got a phone call while you were at school. Oh, what was his name..it was something foreign..."

Helga's blood ran cold. She turned her head while Arnold stared at the wall.

"Santiago?" Her voice cracked. Miriam's face lit up in realization.

"Oh yes! Santiago. I asked to leave a message for you and he said that he sends his condolences. Oh and he mentioned one last thing. I didn't understand it, but he said you would."

Helga and Arnold both had turned around at this point, eyes wide and scared. If Miriam weren't so dense, she might've realized that.

"What did he say, Miriam?" Helga asked with a small voice. She gripped Arnold's hand tighter.

"He said," She picked up a piece of paper on the hallway table, reading it out loud. "'Thanks for teaching me how to light a firecracker. But once it exploded it scared me to death.'" Miriam didn't notice the blood drain from Helga and Arnold's face.

"We gotta go, Mom." Before Miriam could reply, Helga and Arnold ran outside. Helga mainly dragged Arnold out, but he didn't resist. Once they ran down the street a bit, she ran into an alley and let out a blood-curdling scream. Arnold licked at his dry lips, trying to think of something to calm Helga.

"Helga, we need to try and stay calm and think about this rationally."

"Think?! Santiago scared my grandmother with firecrackers and caused her to have a heart attack, Arnold! How in the world am I to remain calm?!" Helga was basically shrieking at this point. Her face was red, and her balled up fists were shaking. She was beginning to have tunnel vision, and couldn't focus on any emotion but pure unfiltered rage. Her hands flew to her head, trying to make her world stop spinning.

"Helga, let's just go back to my place. I know you're angry and you have every right to be!" He held out his hands towards her like he was approaching a wild animal.

And in a way, he kinda was.

"Arnold...he... _he_.." Helga was frantically looking around as if she couldn't find Arnold, even though he was standing right in front of her. He slowly grabbed her forearms to make sure she wouldn't run off. Or hit something.

"Come with me, Helga," Arnold whispered. He tried to be as gentle as possible. "We can come up with a plan once we're back at the boarding house."

Helga's lower lip quivered as her whole body began to convulse in wracks of sobs. She collapsed to her knees, which caused them to become scraped and bleeding. Arnold quickly went down with her and held her as she let everything out. She screamed in his shoulder and banged her fist on the pavement. He kissed her temple as he held her. He couldn't remember a time seeing anyone this broken, and he hated it even more because it was Helga.

The mighty and strong Helga G. Pataki had been reduced to a broken mess. And Arnold had no idea of how to fix her.

 **Oh man, I wish I could've written a happier chapter. Something that my English professor told me in college though has stuck with me and I think about it every time I write a story. He basically told me that when you write a story, don't baby your protagonist. Make them suffer. Make them hit rock bottom, and then make them strong for it. They're not your children, so don't protect them from the bad in the world.**

 **Honestly, it was the best writing advice ever. I hope you all enjoyed it! It shouldn't be two more weeks before another chapter so fret not! Thank you all for the kind reviews, it means the world! Until next time my fellow Football Heads! xx**


	23. Chapter 23: How Is She?

**Finally, Chapter 23! Again, I'm very sorry about the delay. Training at my new job has taken up most of my time and it's exhausting! D: But I haven't abandoned this story, and I never will! There just might be a bit of a hiatus in between chapters but hey, makes the suspense that much better, right? lol Anyways, here's Chapter 23!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or the original characters. Just the storyline!**

"I want to ring his neck like a spring chicken."

Phoebe was making Helga a cup of tea in Arnold's kitchen while the distraught blonde kept spewing out empty threats. Well, Phoebe wasn't so sure that they were empty anymore. She knew that Helga and her grandmother were close, so it came to no surprise when she got the call from Arnold confirming the worst: Santiago murdered Grandmother Geraldine. She rushed over as soon as she could and found Helga curled in a ball on the couch. Arnold was rubbing her arm comfortingly but to no avail. He looked at Phoebe with helpless eyes.

"I'm going to shove a firecracker right up his-"

"Here's your tea, Helga. Just sip on this and try to calm down." Helga grabbed the cup while taking a sharp side glance towards Phoebe.

"If one more person tells me to calm down, I'm going to scream so loud it'll shake the shutters of this old boarding house." She had a tremble to her voice that told Phoebe that this was definitely not an empty threat. Phoebe took a seat next to her but made sure to not crowd her.

"No actually expects you to calm down, Helga. It's a phrase that typically brings comfort to the distressed person." Helga took a gentle sip of her Chamomille tea. The liquid slightly burned her lips, but she didn't pay it any mind. She gripped the scolding cup so she wouldn't have to see her hands shake.

"Well, it's a stupid phrase that I want removed from everyone's vocabulary right now."

Phoebe nodded but didn't say a word. At this point, she wasn't really sure what to say anymore. She felt just as helpless as Arnold. She usually always knew how to help her best friend. She could either buy her ice cream, let her groan and moan, or they even watch movies to pass the time. This was different though, and Phoebe had pulled every trick she had up her sleeve. Nothing worked to bring Helga just the tiniest bit of comfort. She felt like a failure, but she couldn't really blame herself. A situation like this one had to be treated very delicately. She never had to handle such a travesty and honestly, she had never seen Helga look so defeated. Even in Helga's darkest moments, she still had her bark and bite. Now she looked like a shaking chihuahua that could snap at any point.

"What can I do, Helga?" Phoebe pleaded. The last time she asked Helga that, she only got silence as a reply. She wasn't even sure if Helga had heard her ask the first time.

"There's nothing you can do, Phoebe. This isn't something you can throw a band-aid on." Phoebe could nearly hear the air deflate out of Helga's body, not unlike the last balloon at a vacant children's birthday party.

"Arnold can't even help me." She let out in a whisper. Phoebe nodded in understanding.

"I'll leave you be for a minute, but I'll be back in to check on you." She patted Helga's back gently, afraid that she'd crumble to pieces if she touched too hard. The only signal that she knew Helga had heard her, was the slight lowering of her head that could be seen as a halfway nod.

Phoebe drug her feet back to the living room to see Arnold, who apparently had picked up on Helga's habit of pacing.

"How is she?" Arnold rushed out. Phoebe plopped on the couch, feeling quite defeated herself.

"She just found out her grandmother was killed. How do you think she's doing, Arnold?" Phoebe spat out before she could stop herself. She saw Arnold's eyes fall to the floor in devastation. Phoebe sighed and sat up more straight, putting her head in her hands.

"I'm sorry, Arnold. I just hate seeing her like this. I, I don't know what to do for her right now." Arnold walked over to the couch and sat next to Phoebe gingerly.

"Neither do I. But I suppose there's nothing we can do, really. Nothing except be here for her." Arnold mumbled, staring at the carpet. They sat there in silence for almost five minutes, when Arnold finally dared to speak up.

"Phoebe, why haven't I heard anything about Helga's grandmother? I mean, I know we've never been close up until recently, but I've heard about her parents and Olga...so why not her grandmother?" Phoebe raised her head and looked at Arnold with a look of surprise.

"She never told you about her?" She asked, dumbfounded. Arnold shook his head gently, flinching slightly from the pain in his neck. He took off his neck brace when he and Helga got home, feeling too panicked to have that around his neck.

"No, she didn't." Phoebe looked from Arnold to the window, looking as if she were pondering something.

"I feel like she should tell you the story...but all you really need to know is that Geraldine was basically the only person to ever treat Helga like a person. Her parents were wrapped up in Olga and her accomplishments that they hardly ever remembered Helga. When she went over to her grandmother's house, she told me how happy she was. How it was the only time she truly felt loved and accepted," Arnold felt his breath catch in his throat. "Well, this was before she met you, keep that in mind. Even though she was only about three years old, she remembers everything from her time with her grandmother. The cookies she baked her, the games they would play, the bo-" Phoebe stopped herself.

"The what?" Arnold noticed how she stopped mid-sentence. What was she about to say?

"Erm, like I said. I feel like she should tell you about her. I think I've already said too much." Phoebe twiddled her thumbs and looked back toward the kitchen. "Are her parents not worried about where she's at?"

Arnold shook his head. "I called them once I got her here and she calmed down a bit. I told them that Helga is just super upset about her grandma and that she needed a little time alone. Mr. Pataki wasn't too thrilled that she wouldn't be there to help too much with the funeral arrangements, but Mrs. Pataki sounded more understandable. She just asked that Helga not stay away too long."

Phoebe sighed and looked toward the ceiling as if the answer to all of their problems would be written there. "I can't believe this is happening."

Arnold shook his head slightly and took another glance to the kitchen. He hadn't heard a peep from Helga since he left her alone. He scooted closer to Phoebe and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I know. Me either, but we'll be here to help Helga through this."

Phoebe looked back at Arnold with glistening eyes. "Where else would we be?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thursday morning arrived much quicker than anyone expected. Arnold was in the living room of the Pataki residence, waiting on Helga to come downstairs. He was dressed in his best suit and even shined his shoes. He tapped his foot anxiously, nothing else to fill the silence. He timed his taps with the ticking of the clock. Bob was pacing the hallway by the stairs while Miriam and Olga were in the kitchen consoling one another. Helga was correct in her prediction of Olga's emotions. He had been here for three hours and Olga had been hysterically crying for two and a half of them. Miriam was drinking smoothies back to back to the point that she stopped crying, but she then began staring at nothing. It was like she was in a trance. It creeped Arnold out, so he physically and mentally separated from them. He had to be prepared to keep Helga together because he knew that no one else would.

"You better hurry up, little lady!" Bob bellowed from the foot of the stairs. He pointed at his watch as if his daughter could see his impatience through the walls. Arnold stood up from the couch and waited, convinced that Helga would come stomping down the stairs any moment. A few seconds passed and there wasn't even an answer. No witty comeback or a retort of any kind. Arnold's anxiety shot up and approached Big Bob.

"Erm, Mr. Pataki?" He tried to make his voice sound more convincing, but he was pretty sure the older man heard the crack in his tone.

"Huh? What is it, Alfred?" He crossed his arms and glared at the young boy.

"It's Ar...nevermind. Um, could I go upstairs and get Helga?" Bob rolled his eyes and walked back to the kitchen.

"I don't care just get her down here!" He yelled over his shoulder. Arnold stifled a groan as he climbed upstairs. He had always heard about how ridiculous Bob was, and had even witnessed it firsthand (he couldn't forget how he called him 'Orphan Boy'), but it still amazed Arnold how heartless and inconsiderate someone could be at a time like this. He felt his heart squeeze at the thought of Helga being the target for most of his anger and hateful ways.

 _No wonder she's had to put up a tough front all this time. In this house, it's 'eat or get eaten'._ Arnold thought depressingly.

Arnold gently clicked his knuckles on Helga's bedroom door. "Helga? It's me. Is everything ok? Can I come in?" All he heard was silence for a couple of seconds, then he heard some shuffling.

"Yeah go ahead." Arnold swallowed, which made his dry throat feel scratchy. It didn't even sound like Helga's voice. It was devoid of all life.

He opened the door and his eyes shot to Helga. She had her hair up in a singular ponytail, tied together with her pink bow. She wore a simple short sleeve black dress that reached her knees. Her black ballet flats were tapping the floor anxiously. He walked over and stood in front of Helga, who sat on the edge of her bed. He straightened out her bow as she began to look up at him. Her eyes were red, but any and all tear streaks had been cleaned and dried. She gave him a sad smile.

"We have to go now, don't we?" Arnold knew that she knew the answer to that. He wished he could let her stay here as he held her and comforted her. He wished he could say or do something, _anything_ , to cheer her up in the slightest. He knew the point was moot though. He knew that he could put Helga in better moods in a lot of situations. Sometimes with just a look! But this time, all he could really do was be here for her. He felt powerless that he couldn't magically take away her pain.

"What's wrong?" Helga asked, grabbing both of Arnold's hands. He was brought back to reality once she stood up. He must've not hidden his disdain well.

"Nothing. It's just..." Arnold looked up at the ceiling and then to the ground. Anywhere but Helga's worried baby blues. "...I can't do anything to help you and I.. _hate_ it..."

Helga's eyes got wide in panic as she shook her head. She put her hands on either side of his face, making him look at her.

"You being here is the _only_ thing keeping me together. You're doing more than you know, Arnold." She raked her fingers gently through his hair, which calmed her immediately. He gave her a sad smile as he pulled her into a hug with no warning. Helga wrapped her arms gently around his shoulders. She knew that his neck hadn't fully healed yet from the whiplash, but the doctor cleared him to not wear the brace 24/7.

"I love you, Helga." Arnold's voice was muffled by Helga's shoulder (times like these he really hated being shorter than her) but he knew that she understood. He heard her sniffle and felt the vibration of her head nod.

"I know. I love you too, Arnold. More than you'll ever know." Arnold and her separate but both of their eyes connect to one another as if they were magnets. The moment was completely ruined when they both flinched at the deep voice booming from downstairs.

"If you kids don't get downstairs right now, both of you can walk to the funeral!" Bob screamed. Helga grabbed Arnold's hand as they made their way downstairs.

"At this point, I think I'd rather ride sidesaddle on a dinosaur." Helga whispered before they reached the stairs. Bob was confused as to why Arnold was chuckling into his hand when they finally got downstairs but didn't focus too much on it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arnold and Helga walked into the funeral home, straggling behind Miriam, Olga, and Bob. Miriam found her sister and began weeping again, Olga began talking with other relatives and Bob stood awkwardly in the corner of the room. Arnold looked at Helga and could see she was extremely uncomfortable. He gently grabbed her hand, which she thanked him with a small appreciative smile. Funerals made Helga's skin crawl, but she knew she couldn't miss saying goodbye to her grandma.

"Do you need anything, Helga? Water?" Arnold nodded towards a table that had plastic cups that was placed conveniently next to a water fountain.

Helga took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah sure." Arnold took long strides towards the cups. He didn't want to be away from Helga too long. Even though he brought her spirits up somewhat at the apartment, he knew she was as fragile as glassware. As soon as he filled up the cup, he turned around and saw that Helga was in a conversation with her Aunt Mimsy. She looked a lot like Miriam, but no glasses and her hair was a darker shade of blonde.

Helga noticed Arnold stand awkwardly a couple of feet away. She waved him over. "Thanks, Arnold. This is my Aunt Mimsy." Helga eagerly took and sipped at her water as Arnold shook her Aunts hand.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm sorry about your mom." Arnold said sincerely. He could tell Mimsy was trying to keep herself together like Helga, rather than fall apart in public like her sister. He stole a glance towards Miriam who was still balling in a chair by a table with framed photos.

"Thank you, Arnold. That's very kind of you. I was just telling Helga how proud Mom would be of her right now." She looked back to Helga, who was shakingly holding her empty cup. "You've grown so much, Helga. I see you still wear the bow."

Arnold didn't know why, but he could tell that the comment alone sent Helga into a spin. She crushed the cup slightly in her hands, making a loud crunching sound. She began to breathe slightly harder and quicker. She clenched her jaw as if she was trying not to scream. Arnold took this as a sign to rescue her.

"Uh, can you excuse us please?" Arnold asked urgently. He took a slight grip on Helga's arm to try and calm her. To his surprise, it didn't affect her any. Her pupils were dilated and focused on something behind Mimsy.

"Oh absolutely! Um.." She leaned forward to the kids and began to whisper. "Mom is in the other room. That is, if you would like to privately say goodbye to her, Helga. She looks beautiful." With that last comment, Mimsy sniffled and put out a watery smile.

Arnold watched as Mimsy walked back over to Miriam. He looked up at Helga, who was staring at the dark mahogany doors that led to the church. He cleared his throat to get her attention. He saw her cut her eyes to him but went right back to the doors. He knew she was listening though.

"If you need a minute, Helga, I'll wait right here until you come back." Arnold whispered. He knew that this would be a difficult moment for Helga, but she needed the closure. She needed to say goodbye. He couldn't imagine not being able to say goodbye to his grandparents. He cringed at the thought.

"I..." Helga paused, then looked at Arnold, a single tear tracing down her red cheek. "I don't think I can do this alone. Please come with me."

Arnold was taken aback but nodded. He supposed it made sense though. Through context, Mimsy basically said that she was being buried and that she would be presented during the service. He assumed that Helga had never seen a dead body before, so it's only natural to be nervous and even scared. Arnold had never seen a dead body either, but he couldn't in good conscious let Helga experience this alone if she desired him at her side for comfort.

He grabbed her hand. "I'm right here."

Together, they walked hand in hand to the doors. They went inside the church with no one noticing. Arnold and Helga looked down the aisle and saw the dark brown coffin that was open on one end. The candle flames reflection flickered off the coffin, giving it an almost angelic glow. They both slowly walked down the aisle until they both reached the coffin. Helga let go of Arnold's hand and approached the coffin even closer until she could clearly see Geraldine.

"Hey, grandma. It's me."

 **Next chapter, we will find out why Helga is so attached to her grandmother. It's a heartbreaking story, so I wanted it to have its own chapter. This chapter basically was supposed to focus on the fact that Helga is not this unbreakable person. She's as fragile as anyone would be, and she's starting to show that now in light of circumstances, and also with Arnold's help. I hope you're all enjoying it so far! Thank you to everyone who hasn't given up on this story!**

 **Until next time my fellow football heads! xx**


	24. Chapter 24: She Knows, Helga

**Oh lord guys don't hate me! I'm so sorry that it took this long to update this story. This holiday season has been anything but kind to me and my husband. Both of our cars broke down and we had to dip in our savings to get a new one X.x Our dog had to go to the vet and that was a big chunk of money as well so it's just been a difficult month. But I promised I wouldn't abandon this story and I meant it! I'm also working on a 'V for Vendetta' story so if that's something that interests you, by all means, go take a look! It's my favorite movie so I had to write a story about it lol I hope everyone else had a wonderful Thanksgiving (if you celebrate it!) and enough rambling! On with the story!**

Helga felt sweat bead at her forehead as she laid eyes on her very still grandmother. Even with Arnold standing right behind her, she still felt as if she could break at any moment. She took a side glance at Arnold, who merely nodded in encouragement. Helga took a deep breath and turned back to Geraldine. She had light makeup on that looked very similar to what she wore on any other day. She looked peaceful, even though Helga knew that her death was anything but that. She balled her fists up when she thought of Santiago, lighting firecrackers and scaring her until her heart stopped.

"Helga." She heard Arnold's voice echo off the walls of the empty service room. She took a shaky breath and gathered her strength together.

"Hi, grandma. It's me, H,Helga." She wrung her hands nervously as she continued. "I honestly can't believe that this is happening. I'm still somewhat expecting you to get up and tell me how this is all some awful joke. But...but I know this isn't a joke. I know this is real and...and you have no idea how hard this is for me..." Helga's voice cracked under the weight of the situation. This was it. She was actually telling her grandmother goodbye. It felt too surreal and all she really wanted to do was run out and hide somewhere. Even though every inch of her was shaking and nearly sobbing, she rooted her feet to the ground and continued. Arnold stood close by, staring in awe at his girlfriend's strength.

"I remember when I was about four years old, and Miriam dropped me off at your house because I was bothering Olga while she practiced her piano. I cried and cried, feeling so unloved. But..." Helga put a hand on the coffin, and it surprisingly gave her more strength to continue. "But you gave me something. You gave me a bow. A pink bow. And, and you told me that the bow would be a reminder to me that I am perfect just the way I was. I remember telling you that I would never take it off. You laughed and you told me that one day...one day I won't need it anymore."

Arnold felt his eyes glisten as he listened to the story. He borderline felt embarrassed that he was listening to such a personal story. He quickly noticed that Helga was now looking at him as she continued.

"Well, today is that day." Helga slowly and gingerly removed her bow from the top of her head, not looking away from Arnold. He felt his eyes grow wide as he watched her finger the delicate fabric before slowly setting it in the casket with Geraldine. His lungs stopped working and his heart was working in overtime.

"I now know that despite my parent's neglect, I am worth something. I have friends who love me no matter what. This bow is the reason that this boy," She pointed at Arnold as if Geraldine's eyes would follow. "this amazing, selfless, thoughtful and loving boy...ever noticed me. And I couldn't thank you enough if I had a hundred years to do it."

Arnold was baffled at first at Helga's statement until a foggy memory pierced his mind.

 _Hi, nice bow. I like your bow, cause it's pink like your pants._

"Through everything I have accomplished, I don't need this bow anymore. My strength and my character are thanks to you, and I...I just wish I could've told you that sooner." Helga let her tears flow freely down her face. She was glad she didn't wear makeup like Olga recommended or she was sure she'd look like a raccoon at this point. Right when she felt like her knees were about to give out, she felt a steady hand grip her arm comfortingly. She turned and looked at Arnold, who was sporting a few tear streaks as well.

"She knows, Helga. She knows." Arnold muttered as Helga buried her face into his neck gently. She let out her pain, if just for a moment before she gathered herself again and straightened her back.

"Thanks for being here, Arnold." Helga said sheepishly. Even though Arnold had seen her sensitive side before, she still felt more exposed than ever before. She hated Arnold seeing her so weak. He already had told her that he admired her for her strength and her gusto. Right now, Helga felt like she was completely drained of who she was. All of her strength was gone and her attitude was all but destroyed.

Yet Arnold was still looking at her with so much love she nearly fell to her knees.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else, Helga." Arnold brought her into a tight embrace that Helga returned instantly. He wanted to hold her so tightly that all of her broken pieces fit back together, but he knew that this wasn't how it would go. She needed to get out all of her anger, frustration, and sadness. The only thing he could do was be there for her and let her know that he would help in any way he could. Helga pulled away from Arnold with her hands on his shoulders.

"I love you." She said with every bit of determination she could muster. Her voice couldn't break now. It would never break while saying those words to him. Arnold smiled and nodded.

"I love you, too." Arnold replied sweetly. He knew he couldn't do much for her, but he would always be able to reassure her that he loved her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The funeral was every bit as depressing as one could expect. The service dragged on because Olga couldn't stop crying as she gave her speech and she refused to step down from the podium until she was done speaking. Helga felt her stomach go in knots when they offered for her to come up and say something. She looked over at Arnold who gave her a supportive nod. She knew that he wasn't encouraging her to go up there. He was telling her that whatever she chose to do, he'd support her no matter what. That gave Helga enough courage to get up and walk up to the podium with Jell-O legs.

"So, I don't really know what to say except that..." Helga blanked for a split second. She didn't want to tell everyone the personal story about her bow. No one deserved to know that story but her, Arnold and even Phoebe.

"That she was a great person. She knew how to make anyone smile. She was one of the nicest people I ever knew and...I'm gonna miss her. A lot." Helga felt her throat get thick again so she stopped before she did a repeat of Olga's performance. She nodded and stepped down from the podium. Miriam looked at her with a reassuring smile, while Bob muttered something along the lines of 'Is that all you could come up with?'

After the service was over, they closed the coffin and loaded it into the hearse. Helga, her parents, Olga and Arnold gathered in front of the church.

"So we're gonna go watch her get buried then we'll stop and get burgers, who's in?" Big Bob said while rubbing his enlarged gut. Miriam rolled her eyes but dared not to say anything besides 'alright, B'. Helga really didn't want to watch her grandmother be put in the ground. The thought of her being in the ground made her feel panicked and even more depressed. Arnold could sense her tension and knew she wasn't comfortable with watching the burial. He bit his nails into his palms as he brought up all the bravery he had to stand up to Big Bob Pataki.

"Um, Mr. Pataki? Would it be alright if I actually took Helga home? She's clearly not feeling well." Helga knew what Arnold was doing and she felt her spirits lift ever so slightly.

"Is that true, Helga? Are you feeling ok?" Miriam asked with concern in her voice. Helga shook her head and looked down. The fact that Helga didn't give a sarcastic reply was proof enough that she wasn't feeling right. Miriam replied before Bob could object.

"Well alright then. Olga can you drive them back home and we'll meet you at the cemetery?" Olga nodded and put comforting hands on Helga's shoulders from behind. Even though Helga didn't want to be physically touched at that moment, a little voice inside her reminded her that Olga was just as tore up about this as she was. She sighed and let Olga's remain where they were at.

"Absolutely! Come on." Olga ushered them into her car before they made a U-turn, heading back to the Pataki residence.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After Olga asked Helga multiple times if she was ok, and Helga reassuring her that she would be fine, Olga finally left to make it in time for the burial. Arnold and Helga sat on the couch in comfortable silence. He glanced over at her and looked at her hair that seemed incomplete now that her bow was gone. He knew why she had given it back to her grandmother and honestly, he couldn't imagine a better place for it to be. Helga was right. She didn't need the bow as a reminder of how special and amazing she was. Her grandmother told her that one day she wouldn't need it anymore and that day had finally come. He couldn't have been more proud of Helga and at that moment he felt his heart expand for this strong young girl beside him.

"Can we go to your place, Arnold?" Helga's low voice sliced through the silence like a sharp knife. Arnold nodded quickly and grabbed her hand as they walked out the door.

Once they made it back to the Boarding House, Stella and Miles were in the kitchen and rushed to them as they heard them come inside. Arnold smiled as he noticed that all of their attention was focused on Helga, and as it should be.

"Oh, sweetie are you ok?" Stella asked, putting a hand to Helga's cheek. Helga nodded and smiled as she looked into Stella's worried eyes. She wasn't used to anyone worrying about her so much, besides Phoebe and Arnold of course. It was like a breath of fresh air to have parental adults that worried about her well being.

"How about we make both of you some hot chocolate and you guys can watch some movies to take your mind off things? Hmm?" Miles offered, looking back at Arnold as well. Helga looked at Arnold as well and they shared a nod in confirmation.

"Well I never reject hot chocolate and movies," Helga muttered, resulting in Miles and Stella giggling as they returned to the kitchen to prepare for their delicious drinks. Arnold came up behind Helga and swiftly grabbed her hand.

"Want to go ahead and go to my room?" Arnold asked with a gleam in his eye. Helga felt her heart flutter and felt most of the tension leave her body.

"Yet another thing I will never reject." She smiled as they walked upstairs hand in hand.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arnold and Helga were cuddled up in bed watching "Lion King", hot cocoa in hand when they both heard the phone ring downstairs. They ignored it, assuming it was Helga's parents asking if she was at the Boarding House. Stella opened the door and peeked her head in.

"Hey, Arnold? It's Stinky. He wants to talk to you about a school project?" Stella asked with a question in her voice. Arnold nodded as he reached over to his Football phone and picked it up. Stella smiled at Helga as she shut the door, returning their privacy.

"Hey, Stinky." Arnold still had an arm around Helga with her head comfortingly on his shoulder.

"Do you know how easy it is to fake a country accent? It's almost too easy, really."

Arnold's blood ran cold and he sat straight up in bed, temporarily forgetting about Helga.

"Santiago." Arnold muttered the name and Helga shot up as well. He looked to her face and it had molded into a look of fear and rage. Arnold had never seen such a look and it borderline terrified him.

"Ding ding ding we have a winner!" Santiago laughed. "How was the funeral by the way? Sad I'm guessing, but it's always nice to double check." Arnold could hear his wicked smile through the phone and all he wanted to do was slam the phone down and throw something. He resisted as he clenched his jaw.

"What do you want, Santiago?" Arnold asked through gritted teeth. Helga's blood was boiling as she gripped Arnold's covers to prevent herself from snatching the phone away.

"I was wanting us to meet up and have a little chat. How about the park in about two hours? Oh and I don't think I need to remind you what will happen if anyone follows you." Santiago chuckled as he whistled followed by an 'explosion' sound.

"Fine." Arnold spit out and before Santiago could reply, he slammed the phone down on the receiver. Helga looked at him and Arnold knew instantly that she had heard.

"Don't even think about it, Helga."

"I'm coming with you," Helga stated right as Arnold finished his sentence. Arnold stood up from the bed as Helga sat crisscrossed.

"Helga, no! If he sees you, who knows what he'll do. Just stay here and I'll be back soon." Arnold reached for his jacket when Helga sprung from his bed, grabbing his arm.

"You're crazy if you think I'm letting you meet him alone. He might hurt you and I will not let that happen." Helga said with fire in her voice. Arnold sighed because he understood where Helga was coming from. If the roles were reversed, he wasn't too sure if he would let her go by herself either.

"Helga if anything happens to you-" He didn't get to finish because Helga made him turn towards her. She grabbed either side of his face so he would have no choice but to look into her baby blue eyes.

"Nothing will happen, Football head. I'll be sneaky, don't worry." Helga gave him one of her classic smirks, which really didn't help Arnold's nerves much but he knew there was no point in arguing with Helga. Even if he stood his ground, she would still sneak and follow him. At least this way, he would know where she would be hiding and he would have a better chance of protecting her.

"There's no way you're staying here, is there?" Arnold asked, basically pleading. Helga shook her head.

"No way."

 **And there you have it! Next chapter will be filled with A LOT of OMG moments so prepare for that! Since it is the holiday season, I'm not sure when I'll be able to update but I'll try to as soon as I can! I also got a review about a little mistake I made when Gertie made a presidential reference. I'm sorry about that! I'm not perfect so there will be mistakes here and there, but I hope it doesn't ruin the story! Anyway, I wish everyone Happy Holidays and until next time my fellow Football heads! xx**


End file.
